Room one

I think I have finished a room in our house. Only two and half months after moving in, but whatever! I love to find decorating ideas and copy them, and yes I may have spent hours just the other night trolling design blogs looking for some new ideas. My current fave? http://thriftydecorchick.blogspot.com/ Much to Michael’s dismay my new love is spray paint. I never realized all the possibilities! I revamp old things we have that need a lift, or pick up treasures at Goodwill that need some love. Emily has introduced me to antique shopping at Amazing Grace and we recently found the wonderful world of the Flea Market! Oh my, my love for garage sales just got even more intense! This could be dangerous…

Here is what our living room looked like before…

And now after!

(A shoutout to Michael and his dad who did all the painting and hardwood floors! And to Michael and Ryan for hanging the TV!)
See the little blue truck on my big green chair? Yep, evidence that little boys live here. Or the cute little sleeping baby? More evidence. Or the picture frame that still has the picture of the models in it because I haven’t gotten around to getting an 8×10 printed yet? Or the clutter that I quickly pushed into the dining room so I could take these pictures? So really, these pictures are an illusion. Real life doesn’t look like this- at least not in my house! I took these not only to share with you all, but to remind myself that beneath all the dust, piles of toys, and fruit snack wrappers, that I’m still here. I still love to decorate and create new masterpieces. I can still have passions of my own- my identity is not in my children. My identity is in Christ and who He has created ME to be! But I embrace the stage He has me in- WITH my children. So the sticky remotes, dirty socks under the couch, and fingerprints on the glass cabinets can stay. :) The verse in the frame with our Dr. Chuck memories reminds me of this on a regular basis. He used this verse (Psalm 16:6) to encourage me back when I wrote this blog post (see his comment?) For the boundary lines HAVE fallen for me in pleasant places. I’m blessed with a supportive helpmate, three amazing little bundles of boy, and deep relationships in all circles of my life. I can have fun doing things I enjoy like thrifting and spray painting creations, but I have JOY knowing that I’m investing in the eternal by mothering confident leaders in the next generation and helping them to know Christ and bring Him glory. He IS good.