Update on the Kitchen and a Bit of Life...

We are doing just little bits on the kitchen as time allows these days.  We have finished the tiling now.  And I was a bit unsure of my choice as we were putting them up, but after the grouting was done, I was very happy!

 We have gotten almost half of the cabinet doors finished and up again.

 I made the new curtains-I may have already shared that part already, but with the cabinet doors up now, it looks so different!

 I had mentioned the fabric pack of fat quarters I received that became the color inspirations for the redo.  I am so happy with how I have been able to integrate them into the kitchen in small ways.  I recovered a stool we use in the kitchen.  And you may not see it in the photo, but I also put clear plastic over it when I recovered it.  I have seen the quick degrading of our stools all too often when they are not covered with plastic;)

 Made some new potholders-yahoo!  I have not made any for 17 years I think!

 The kitchen has been a pretty small part of life lately since we have been back to work and school.  I am honestly going through a rough emotional patch I think simply due to the lack of sleep I am getting right now.  It is just that season right now with the babe-teething, sickness, ever changing sleep habits.  Not anything that is new to me, but it still tends to bring about a sort of haze or underlying struggle mentally and emotionally when that lack of sleep starts to build week after week.  The test of patience, gentleness, self control, and just clarity and truth truly needs to be supplied by the Lord because they are naturally not happening.  And then there are those days when I cut any help from the Lord off because of just plain crabbiness.  But the Lord continues to stretch and mold our lives, adding new lessons to ones taught before.  I have gone through this stage many times, but the new elements this time-teenagers too;) And I do not say that in the sarcastic way the culture tends to label teenagers with.  I say that in the way that those quiet hours of the night time-say post 7pm when all the littles are in bed, is no longer a regrouping, restful, processing mental time any more.  We have 2 teenagers that in all reality, cannot go to bed at 7pm any longer.  They have studying to do, conversations to be had with us, etc.  They may even be babysitting for us and need to decompress after we return.  So my mental strength needs to somehow outlast them too(which honestly cannot sometimes-I will in no way claim supermom status or say it should be priority to be that-sometimes I have to honestly tell them-I need a quiet night to allow my mind to rest-and they seem to be coming to an understanding of that)  But in the midst of all of that stretching and struggle, the Lord still bestows on us good memories, growth in that struggle and even joy from pain.


After lunch yesterday, Bell asked me if she could give the rest of her apple from lunch to her pig Cocoa.  Shortly after I said yes, I heard that most painful cry from her that cocoa had died.  My tears were quick to come, I felt that broken heart more than normal, so we sat for quite awhile with cocoa bundled up ready to be buried and cried together.  I listened as Bell talked through all the things she loved about Cocoa and all of those things she was looking forward to with the upcoming warm weather that she had planned to do outside with cocoa.  Bell was so grieved.  All the girls have their own little pets, along with Noah.  And they are such good lessons for each of them.  We have gone through the loss of them many times before.  Some times we have made the kids wait to pick new ones and sometimes we do not wait.  Yesterday was one of those days we did not wait.  Matt and I took Bell out after dinner to pick a new little pig.  She just adores this new little life.  She still carries that sting from Cocoa, but just a bit lighter now.  Sometimes we cannot soothe their broken hearts, but sometimes it is a real blessing to be able to tangibly soothe that ache.

So this is the new little pig-Sweetie Bell.  She has warmed up to Bell so quickly!

 Madison watched over the little ones while we were out last night with Bell.  I came home to find her teaching arts and crafts to Israel.  Madison loves pinterest just as much as I do and has been inspired daily to try new ideas.  I was excited to see her work when we returned.