Archives for August 2014

August 18, 2014 By Leave a Comment

I Listed, I Conquered

This type of day never happens.  Never I say.  Never.  I made a list last night and as I type with the click of “publish” I will mark the last item off my To Do list with authority and a black blunt Sharpie marker.  Listed in no particular order.

Unload/Load Dishwasher.  Check.

Devotional.  Check.

Cook chicken.  Check.

Make dinner…5 ingredient white chicken chili thank you very much. (I do only 4 cups of chicken stock and add a can of black beans.)  Check.

Speech therapy.  Check.

Amazon order.  Check.

Package orders.  Check.

Post office.  Check.

Workout.  Check.

Podcast with Jamie Ivey.  Check.  (I may have made myself sound like a crazy OCD lunatic…and cried a tish.  But more on that later.)

Shower.  Awesomely checked.

Blog.  About to check.

Tomorrow I’ll probably fall flat on my face and is sure to be a giant let down. 🙂  Until then, it’s time to get started on orders.  The creative work which fills my mind and takes over my thoughts far too many times during the day.  Time to pop those creative knuckles.  And I could not be more excited about it.

Hope you enjoyed your weekend.  Happy Monday!

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: Leave a Comment
August 15, 2014 By 2 Comments

Friday’s Ramble

Amon and I just got home from dropping the big kids off at school.  So far we are loving our new school home.  God keeps confirming in our hearts this is in fact the place for us at this time.  We did have one minor set back in a not so kind worded lady in the lunchroom, but that’s life, so we’re all working through the drama.  A firm reminder to all of us how important our words are…once they have left our mouths we cannot take them back so will we choose to build people up or tear people down?!?!  A good reminder for all of us…children and parents alike.

With the absence of the big kids during our days the house is so quiet.  And honestly Amon is a little lonely.  He spends the first 10 minutes of our return home just wandering around asking where Harper, Hudson and Solomon are.  It’s adorable and pitiful all smashed together.

This morning I get to blog like this:

He misses them.

On the blog agenda for today is simply instagram pictures.  My mind is a little all over the place with a million and one thoughts, so I’m going mindless and simple for today.  Do you have instagram?  Want to follow along?  You can find me at pitterpatterart.

Side Note:   In the time I wrote the above paragraph Amon asked 10 times over, “Dat?” pointing to his own picture.  I replied answering each time the same, “That’s Amon.”  To which he replied with, “Ohhhhhhhh.”  Shocker.  End Side Note.

Okay, back to the task at hand.  Have you guys heard of ACuppaKim‘s mug swap?  If not, you’re missing out.  I didn’t sign up in time last year, so this year I was on it and made it in.  So excited.  I got my mug purchased along with some fun goodies to go with it, packaged and all mailed off this week.  Crossing all fingers and toes my mug makes it in one piece.  I bubble wrapped and added crinkle paper and wrote “fragile” 8 times around the box.  I’m a bit hopeful.

We’re a game family.  Our top games currently are Jenga, Uno, Mancala and Mr. Mouth.  Josh Kelley and myself may be accidentally passing on our competitive nature.

Anytime we have the opportunity to get together with our friends to celebrate anything with no children around is kind of a great night.  I love our kids and I love our friends kids, but I love when we get to talk and connect just us adults…even better as couples.  Last weekend we celebrated the soon arrival of baby Olive with a little couples dinner party.  Adults only.  It was straight up divine.  And our friends Jason and Jessica’s house is amazing!

Tall trees.  Comfy oversized quilt.  Ice cream cones.  And school talk.  Perfection of an afternoon.

These two are killing my heart lately with all their grown-upness.  They are my two most favorite 5-year-olds in all the world.

Have you seen the new Noonday fall line?  Wowzers.  Love it.  I now have a long list of purchases I will be needing to make.  If you want to order something head over to my best friend Ashley’s page and check out the new collection.  She is one rockin’ Noonday ambassador.

Also I’m having a Noonday party in September.  More details to come, but it’s going to be awesome.  Ashley’s driving in from Florida to host my party and is also hosting some more parties for other ladies while she’s in town.  If you’re a local Nashvillian and want to host a party where woman can purchase amazing goods to help empower woman around the world Ashley will be here the 2nd week in September.  Ashley is your girl.  The sweetest.  The nicest.  The most fun and sincere.  The best.  Or if you are a Floridian and want to host a party (depending on where you live in Florida) Ashley is your girl too.  The sweetest.  The nicest.  The most fun and sincere.  The best.  Do you feel the love I have for this lady?!?!?  Do you feel the love I have for this company?!?!?  They are both the real deal, super legit, total world changers.  Shoot her an email at ashleymills.noonday at gmail dot com if you are interested.

And oh the home changes and prep we have been doing around the Kelley casa.  We’re sitting tight, loving on our house and being open to whatever God has planned for us…all 6 of us.  I have had the greatest peace and assurance and have been frequenting Home Depot.  It’s my current home prep jam and the Kelley kids dig it too.

Hope everyone has a crazy good Friday and a wonderful weekend.  Enjoy it.  Peace out!

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: , , 2 Comments
August 14, 2014 By 1 Comment

Every Last One

I’m slightly…and by slightly I mean totally…stuck on Hillsong United’s Zion acoustic album and maybe because A) It takes my mind and heart right back to Nicaragua…the people, the place, our team, Terry & Denise, the whole shebang and B) It tears my heart into shreds, in a good way.

Today I’m stuck right here on the above lyric (and I didn’t have the heart to erase Harper’s message).  He is fighting and fought for us…each heart…every last one…so we could see.  No more darkness, but sight and light and love and acceptance.  Everyone counts.  Everyone matters.  There are no outsiders.  The margins are wiped away.  No fear of the unfamiliar.  And God reigns supreme.  Choosing this today.  To believe it and hold it tight.  And to take God at His promises.

Happy Thursday!

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: 1 Comment
August 13, 2014 By Leave a Comment

7 Things

Let’s discuss:

1.  Last night I saw this shirt pinned on Pinterest and laughed so hard I cried.  I think it’s because I can relate.  Totally.

2.  While on the subject of Pinterest, my friend Miranda sent me this recipe she found and come on now…chocolate chip cookies and salty potato chips…hold up.  I had to try them.  They were decent, but not my fave.  I mean, there’s not many chocolate chip cookies I’d pass up anyways and I wouldn’t pass these up either, but I had super high hopes, so in the end they were a little disappointing.

3.  Sticking with the theme…I found these Greek Yogurt Zucchini Pancakes last night as well and now I must try them.  Seriously.  Zucchini in our pancakes…we shall see.  I really hope they are deliciously wonderful.

(picture source)

4.  A little bit of work completed.  12×24 Olive canvas and a 4×12 Isaiah 46:4 canvas.  I have some name pillows and buntings to complete this week…if only I could get my back to stop hurting.  Dang you hurt back!  I’m still taking orders, so shoot me a message HERE if you are interested.

5.  You guys this devotional is rocking my world.  LOVE IT…like BIG TIME.  Thanks Meg!

6.  When Harper asks me to craft with her I hate to tell her no, so we usually end up looking around via the internet for easy ideas.  This was one we found and voila…easy craftiness for my crafty, artistic loving child.  So easy.  So cute.  She made a gazillion pictures.

And 7.  Amon had a cardiologist appointment this week and there is nothing quite better than a good report, especially when your cardiologist momentarily scares the crap out of you and they have to do some extra testing only to reveal everything is a-okay after all.  Yah for thorough doctors and good appointments and 5 Guys to celebrate afterwards.  #wordup

7 things.  Boom.

Happy Wednesday!

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: Leave a Comment
August 12, 2014 By 4 Comments

Salt

It’s been a weird day.  Today is the first day the big kids are in school all day and Amon and I are at home.  The house is way quiet and I hurt my back some how and I’m out.  I’ve never had a back injury, but it is super zero no fun.  Right now Amon is napping and I just finished my quiet time for the day.  Go ahead and pat me right on the back.  Today’s time was good, but I cannot get the scripture I read out of my head from a few days prior.

“You are the salt of the earth…”  “You are the light of the world…” from Matthew 5:13-16

I was recently challenged by a friend who was also challenging herself to really spend time in not just a devotional, but God’s word, so I started making my way through Matthew.  I’m taking it a little at a time and the other day I read in Matthew 5 about “salt and light”.  I’ve read this several times through out my life, but I guess when I asked God to show me something new He decided to oblige.

I feel like I understand the light part, but honestly I never really got the salt part of the scripture.  I’m no Bible scholar, so don’t laugh if you nailed this right away.  I did a little looking around on the inter webs and discovered two main purposes of salt back in the day…#1 for taste and #2 the preserve.  I knew the taste part and that’s what I usually associated with the scripture, but it had never dawned on me they used salt to preserve foods.  I cannot quit this thought lately.  I read more on the ole’ internet and turns out there are about a million articles and blog posts and what not, about exactly what kind of light and salt we should be as Christians in this world…what the exact definition of ‘salt’ we should go by.  It gets a little messy and confusing and people get opinionated.  After reading I just decided to sit with the scripture a little longer and let God do His thing in my heart.

Today I had several phone calls with different people and all of sudden it hit me.  The kind of salt I want to be is the one God uses to help preserve people…their dignity…their love…their stories…their self worth.  I want to encourage and uplift.  I can’t do that on my own because I’m all jacked up and sinful and a mess, but God can use me…His salt…to show people they are worth preserving…to care for, maintain, look after, protect.  I want to get my hands a little dirty.  I want to wear my heart on my sleeve.  I want to venture into what we’re taught to fear.  I want things to get a little risky.  I want to build relationships.  I want God to use me to love people.  And I want to be the salt that helps preserve who they are in Jesus.  I want God to be glorified and raised high.  I want people to know they matter.  And I want to know in my own heart I’m preserved too.  He cares for not only the world, but for me and you as well.  I matter.  You matter.  Our stories matter.  Our hearts matter to Him.  We have something He wants us to give to the world.  We are to be cared for, maintained, looked after, protected.  Preserved.

It’s nice to realize the value we have in Jesus.  It’s nice to feel counted…that we matter and that someone cares for and wants to help preserve our story and our hearts.  I’m praying today God makes me His salt…some how, some way…I want to be His salt to this world.

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: 4 Comments
August 11, 2014 By 9 Comments

Home [2 Years]

Our journey and story about how God has stitched our family together…created our tribe…is one I love.  I love the details of Harper, Hudson, Solomon and Amon’s arrivals.  Each different and unique from the others.  Each containing God’s love and grace and mercy.  Each story continuing to grow our family and show us there was definitely more love in our hearts…one small human at a time.

Yesterday was Amon’s Gotcha Day and Amon’s story is crazy special.  I hope one day I can share all the details with his permission because it’s a good one.  When we were in the process of bringing Amon home my mom unexpectedly was diagnosed with an aggressive brain cancer and died just 10 days later.  Our world was flipped, turned and rocked…never resembling what it once was again.  And then we got matched with Amon…the wait was over and we started the final decent to bringing his sweet little baby self home…heart in need of repair and all.

I remember finally having him back in my arms once again that crazy special August 10 just two years ago.  My dear friend Ashley by my side and I hugged him the tightest and breathed his sweet smell in deep.  We were in Ethiopia less than 48 hours because of his special heart…back on planes and US bound quickly…the most stressful plane ride of my life…and I would say Ashley’s as well.  So many things to watch for while in flight…so many rules the doctor had given me to remember.  When I walked off the plane into the Nashville airport with backpack and oxygen machine in my hands and Amon strapped to my chest it was one of the most bittersweet days I’ve experienced.  Amon was home.  We made it.  He made it, but Mom was missing.  She was the first to hold each of our children after their unique arrivals and I’ll never forget the moment she snatched Solomon out of my hands at his airport arrival and just wept over his special life.

Yesterday I listened as Josh talked to Amon about our journey to him.  Our hearts were all a bit broken…some more than others, mine and Harper’s probably the most.  Amon had open heart surgery just a month after landing in Tennessee.  God has brought about so much healing in our entire family with Amon.  He used the wisdom and expertise of our local doctors to fix Amon’s heart and He used Amon to fix ours.  He sent healing and joy and hope through this incredible baby boy.  He sent laughter and smiles which sadly had been missing.  The way He used Amon to help Harper heal is something which still makes me weepy.  She was so sad and God sent her joy.

Amon’s Gotcha Day is a huge reminder to our family of hope.  That God is hope and He does not leave us hopeless.  He is enough and He is love.  And He comes through.  So we celebrated with donuts and cookies and with time just together.  It was a day to remember God’s goodness and mercy on our family.

 

 

Amon Kelley you are one special kid.  You are wild and energetic and crazy and fun.  You are sweet and good and joy!  God has already used your life to change the world and He will continue to do just that over and over again.  You are a world changer.  Thankful you are apart of our family.  Honored to be your mom and dad.  And grateful to God we get to celebrate your life again.  We love you tons!

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: , , 9 Comments
August 8, 2014 By 2 Comments

More Purging, Locker DIY & School

I hope you have all had a decent week.  Ours has been crazy, but really really good.  I feel like we needed this week…like a “hey, you guys are totally going to make it.”  A giant “But take heart!”  And so many new wonderful, wild and fun things going on.

I went on yet another crazy purging spree in our house.  I am dwindling this place down to the bare bones and I’ve never felt lighter.  We’re choosing to make this place work and live in it fully and love it hard no matter how long or short we are here.  And this realization feels good…freeing.  There is absolutely no reason why our little house should not accommodate the 6 of us.  There are a lot more people living in way smaller houses all around the world.  So we purged.  And cleaned out.  And threw away.  And are reorganizing and rethinking the way our house works.  And I like it!

Did you know you don’t have to keep all those bills and health insurance statements and even bank statements for forever?  Well I had no idea.  This is the type of thing I would have asked Mom about, but Josh’s mom was so very helpful.  She told me exactly what I HAD to keep and everything else could be tossed.  You guys, I have 4 grocery bags full of papers which need to be shredded.  #dontstealmyidentity The consensus on Facebook was I needed to have a large fire.  So I think we’ll get our burn on this weekend.

I did some major reorganizing of our laundry room and bathrooms.  When you don’t have closets you must be creative.  I went on a mad hunt for some lockers…very specific lockers at a very specific cheap price and thank you very much Craigslist…I found them.  Despite its’ sometimes creepy vibe and the continuing thought “they might murder me” Craigslist is really awesome.  I feel like you can find anything if you are just patient and keep looking.  So these were my lockers before.

After a little perusing of the inter webs and pinterest here is the method I went with to paint these bad boys.

1.  Clean them.

2.  Lightly sand.

3.  Spray paint a coat of white primer.

4.  Spray paint 2 coats of choice color…I went with white.  I’m kind of on a white kick.

And here are my lovely lockers after.

Crazy easy project I finished in just a few hours.  I did tape the handles off with painters tape and added black numbers the following morning.  These were just what our small house and tiny laundry room needed.

And the kids are digging having their own bottom locker for school.  They keep their backpack, shoes, lunch box, coats etc all in one spot and I must say I love that Amon can no longer get to their shoes because he has a crazy love affair with shoes and drags them all out when we’re not looking.  Oh and while we’re talking about school, it could not be going any more fantastic.  Granted today was just the second day, but for the life of me I cannot understand why we were even a little nervous.  Everyone is having fun and loving their teachers and every staff member I have come in contact has been far beyond kind to the point of making me teary on multiple occasions.  And our kids get free breakfast and lunch.  Hello!  Hudson Kelley cannot get over school lunches…he’s in total foodie love.

So how’s that for a Friday post.  I missed you guys yesterday, but I was neck deep in purging and organizing and moving furniture…and I have a hurt back to prove it today.  Talk about making me feel old…I may be sitting on the couch right now with a bag of frozen peas on my back…and I’ve never had back pains before.  What?!?!?!  But I digress.  Okay enjoy your weekend.  Hope it’s beyond awesome!

Happy Friday!

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: 2 Comments
August 6, 2014 By 5 Comments

3 More Apples

Today was our big day.  And I must say it was quite eventful…involving, but not limited to:  A fire in the school, full evacuation to our local library and a local church, Amon & myself wandering around trying to figure out what to do with Hudson’s gallon ziplock bag full of meds, talking with school staff, still trying to figure out what to do since the papers I am suppose to sign are in the school…which we cannot enter…it was sweaty, early morning fun.  Everyone was super nice and things got worked out the best they could for today.  I don’t think Hudson will eat any peanuts or walnuts or sniff any cats or dogs for a 1/2 day at school.  Praying for no asthma attack 🙂  Dude is my meds guy.

Everyone was ready to go early this morning.  Excited nervousness.  Sol never admitted to being nervous, but Harper and Huddy did. They were all looking super fly in their uniforms…which honestly, I adore.  Makes life just a little bit simplier…thank you very much.

(again…Sol’s face…his smile looks like it hurts…holding his board like a guitar…and…the sweat bands.  He’s fully committed to his Ethiopian roots by way of sweat bands.  Killing me!)

I used to be a kindergarten teacher a long long time ago.  Makes me feel old that one of my first kindergartners is in 8th grade this year.  I follow her on Instagram.  Is that sad?!?!?!

I love how the typical first day gift for teachers is an apple.  I don’t know if anyone still lives in that nostalgic place, but I totally do.  I remember the first apple I ever received as a teacher.  It’s a sweet memory.  When Harper started kindergarten I decided I wanted to gift each teacher my kiddos have with a small apple each year…but in art form.  Each canvas is just 8×8…small, so it’s not a big commitment, but handmade with lots of love and prayer.  I want each teacher we have to know that we already appreciate all the hard work they have poured into the year…even when it’s just the first day.  I know it’s not an easy job.  I know teachers work hard and give and give and give a little more.  I know they take a lot of crap and are underpaid and deserve big giant buckets of money and love and spa days and chocolate.  Josh Kelley and I are so grateful for what they do and why they do it.  I know not all teachers are the grandest, but there are a lot of really really mighty good ones out there.

So I had the privilege to make 3 more apples for this year.  3 new teachers.  3 new ladies who we already love.  3 women who will spend so much time with 3 of our greatest treasures.  3 ladies who we will support and want from the beginning to know we are here to help.  We have prayed for each teacher and their families.  We have prayed for their school year and their students.  We have prayed and asked God to allow us to show them unconditional love and support and to be His hands and feet in their classrooms and all throughout their school.  And we will continue to pray all those things.

This school year is literally bursting with hope.  I cannot wait to see what all God has planned.  I cannot wait to bake and help with supplies and make items and do whatever each of these special ladies need.  We are here to support Harper, Hudson and Solomon and each of their uniquely wonderful teachers.

Happiest of Wednesdays!  School is officially in session.

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: , 5 Comments
« Previous Page
Next Page »