The Last One

I finished quilting my last quilt this evening.

Lily checking over my work...



I wanted to do something a little different with this quilt so I though it would look fun zigzagged instead of machine straight quilted 'in the ditch'.



I zigzagged over the seams with dark pink thread and again with purple thread.

It kind of reminds me of crayon scribbles. Kind-of neat.

It looks pretty from the back.



And a random thing...I bought this photo at the Minnesota State Fair Grounds Antique show many moons ago. For some reason this picture really intrigues me. Too bad there is not a way to find out who this couple is and what their life story was. I have been looking at it off and on today. No reason. My mind was just wandering.



~SIGH~

And why did I spend the last two hours of precious sleep time watching YouTube videos that 'prove' Micheal Jackson faked his death and is in fact still alive...?

Warmly, A Dragonfrye Mommy

R.A.N.D.O.M.

For you have been called to live in freedom-not freedom to satisfy your sinful nature, but freedom to serve one another in love.

Galatians 5:13

I have been thinking of this verse the last few days.

I understand that I have been set free from the bonds of sin in my life because of Jesus death on the cross.

I understand that...I do...or so I thought...

Lately, I have been really struggling with a BIG case of

the bad attitudes

the glass half empty outlook

the I have a right to fuss and stamp my feet syndrome

and that gives me the right to (endlessly) crab at everyone doesn't it?

Well, I thought so...

until the Lord very kindly reminded me of the above verse.

A light bulb turned on.

God even set me free from my negative drama I like to carry around.

Like other sins, it follows me around (one could even say my drama precedes me...) like a loud voice but God has set me free from it ruling my days.

It can be hard because in some odd, crazy way it can be kind of satisfying to let my negative emotions all hang out. Even to throw out some wounding verbal wow-powing zingers at others.

But God says that I am set free from needing to carry that all around and in letting it go I am free to serve and love my family without wading through so much emotional muck.

I am still a wee babe in the infant room with my walk with Christ.

I am slow in the learning but Lord I hear. Lord, please do not stop teaching me.

~~~~~~~~~~~

A few pictures of the day?

Josh bought this post-Valentine gift for me.



Lily helping me make a cake.



Alan was taking some pictures for his Facebook but haha he never knew it would also be a Mom's blog picture!



Warmly, A Dragonfrye Mommy

Old Events

"Sad are the days when the glory is gone from the earth, when we look about us with tired eyes, dimmed by the sediment of fatigue, and find we no longer can see beauty or wonder or drama in commonplace scenes."

~from the book Circle of the Seasons by Edwin Way Teal

Some days are like that for me.

I get tired.

I forget the beauty of the simple every day common things that pass by without so much as a glance.

My eyes are dimmed.

I find myself saying quite often "I'll look in just a minute" but that minute is quickly swept away with more pressing things.

Somedays I am blind.

The feet will not stay tiny forever.

The sweet thoughtful color pictures and handmade cards are coming less often these days as the kids get bigger and busier.

But yet when I am graced with such a lovely gift, I still find myself passing them by or stacking them in a pile without spending that time to appreciate them.

Take a step back ,Tina.

Look around.

Breath.

See the beauty.

Warmly, A Dragonfrye Mom

Random Friday

I thought after the very emotional (stinky) week I had, starting on a quilt would be like making lemonade out of lemons.

so

I dug out this book

narrowed in on this pattern using 5 inch squares which I have lots of

and called it quits for the night after I made my 36 quilt squares.

but I took numerous breaks to chat with various kids and the fellow grown-up in my life.

Then there was a visit from a pretty pink pony

and then a mini photo shoot with two little kids who should really be in bed by now but I enjoy the company so I will keep them up.

Joel is designing his own quilt by the most popular place in the house...the dinning room heat vent.

Lily is not far from the heat vent (or me) enjoying popcorn big sis Elena made.

But it is time to clean up.

I hear Netflix calling my name...

Warmly, A Dragonfrye Mommy

My Gift

What can I give Him
Poor as I am;
If I were a shepherd,
I would give Him a lamb.

If I were a wise man,
I would do my part.

But what can I give Him?
I will give Him my heart.

~ C. Rossetti

Warmly, A Dragonfrye Mommy

Random Monday

Next to the stove by the kitchen wall
There stands a couch, not new at all,
On which the housemaid sits and thinks:
"It must be time for my forty winks!"

~from The Alphabet of Sleep

But before this housemaid thinks about her forty winks a little Monday rambling is due.

Well, maybe the rambling is the effect of me needing my forty winks!

Rambling starts..

Right...

Now!

Tonight was Redbox free movie night!

We had two free Redbox movie codes so I walked with a few kids to HyVee to mail a package and pick out our two free movies. Twinkle Toes for the girls and Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance for the big kids. I just need to remember to get the movies back before nine tomorrow night so the movies stay free. We have a tendency to miss the return deadline a lot.

I thought I would make oatmeal cookies as the kids were watching their movies. Great idea but in my hasty excitement to surprise the kids with warm delicious cookies I used melted butter instead of softened butter so the cookies spread like pancakes while they were cooking. I also forgot to grease the cookie sheets which made the pancake oatmeal cookies stick like glue to the cookie sheets. Elena warns me quite often that I will regret my hasty cooking practices. She is always right. Where did she get that crystal ball anyway?

I read a story called The Flying Trunk to the girls before bed. Have you every read that story? It is interesting. Sadly, the version I read to the girls skipped over the merchant's sons funny story he told at the tea party. Not sure why,though. Do you think the girl is still waiting for merchant's son on the roof? Some of my girls thought she could be and thought it was sad.

I was going to start a sewing project earlier this evening but got as far as looking at my fabric stash. I pulled out this real fun brown fabric with owls and an orange coordinating fabric. Isn't it a gorgeous combo?

I was too lazy to tackle changing my sewing machine thread color and wind matching bobbins so I just left the fabric on the table for tomorrow. It will give me time to decide what to make out of it. I am tossing around either one of the little girl dresses with the straps I have been making or try my hand at a little girls reversible A-line dress. The fabric would make a fun little bag as well...

I thought these were cute pictures from my Etsy shop.

These were some of the first skirts I sold in my shop.

Remember my drawstring skirt phase?

Rambling ends...

Right...

Now.

and my forty winks will soon start.

Warmly, A Dragonfrye Mommy

Bondage or Freedom

"Tina,  keep your chin up and do not be ashamed of who you are and the place the Lord has put you at this or any moment in time."

I was struggling with that very thing today.

When I woke up.

As I was getting ready for the farmers market.

My walk there.

Sitting at my table.

Chatting with those around me.

Walking home.

Most of the day.

I was struggling to get my mind focused on being thankful for the person I am even with my zillions of quirks, oddities, dorkiness.

I was struggling to remember that I (me, Tina, the awkward, ugly duckling) was a person God handcrafted himself and thought valuable enough to die for.

It is easy to see why God has placed value on others.

Not always so easy to see it in myself.

It could be because I know my sin personally.

The ugly depth of my own sin.

I know the things that so easily entangle me.

I forget that Christ has set me free from my sin so I can love and follow Christ with wild abandon.

I forget that Christ has set me free from my sin so I could freely pour my life out as a drink offering to him.

Anyway, I am not sure if most noticed today but there was a war in my mind between bondage and freedom.

Bondage would be believing a lie.

Freedom is choosing to stand firmly on God's truth.

I would look at my over baked bread. My average sewing talent with average fabric. My very (I mean very) awkward communication style. My silly wagon. The outfit I wear almost every day because blue is my favorite color.

The war raged in my head.

My baked bread,  my average sewing talent with average fabric, my awkward communication style, my silly wagon, even wearing my outfit...

This was my offering to my Lord today.

It was not much.

It was not fancy.

It was what I had to give.

I was embarrassed by what I had to offer.

The war was between bondage or freedom.

I have to say bondage won out in the end.

How quickly I make everything about me and my drama and insecurities.

Oh Tina, how quickly you forget and abandon the truth.


It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery

    Galatians 5:1


So if the Son sets you free, you are truly free.

     John 8:36

The nice thing is although bondage won for the moment, the battle quickly turns.

I took a nap and wrestled with my thoughts, looked to the Lord for renewed encouragement.

The battle in my mind is turning quickly.


And then she adds pictures...

My snickerdoodles

My bread

My awesome tin that I keep change in.

My table

My wagon display

My mini cake plate so cutely holding the snickerdoodles

I just love this!

A cat that I see most Saturdays on the way to and from the farmers market.

"Hello sweet kitty."

Warmly, A Dragonfrye Mom

How Cool is This??!!

Guess what we have?!!!!

We have our very own Internet!!!!

Yes!!!

No more 'borrowing' from others.

No more trips to McDonald's

Well, that is if I had my laptop which I don't.

*sigh*

I miss you laptop...

No more not blogging!!

So what should my first post be about using our very own Internet

after a month of no posts??

It should be something spectacular.

Something worth the long absence.

How sad of me.

I seriously only took these few pictures the whole month.

Seriously.

Lame.

But the blogging must go on!


A bowl of bean soup.

It was pretty tasty.

Ok, these are cute.

Lily helping me make bread to sell at our local farmer's market.

This is a fun picture ,too.

Josiah's football game.

Josiah is #22.

Those are my pictures.

I have a little time so want to ramble together?

Here is one of my ultimate favorite quotes of all time.

It sums up my life, my motives.

It explains a whole lot about me.

I would like to be the best at everything, but that is not possible. I risk humiliation because I have a genuine interest in participating.

~ Steve Fossett

Love it.

Here is a little trivia.

Who is on the $500 dollar bill?


Warmly, A Dragonfrye Mommy

What Do I See?

"I look and what do I see?
I see lots of pretty
and a lot of happy
and a bit of everything that's there inside of me.

I look and what do I see?
From a head all filled with thread and linen in a raggy jamboree
I see lots of smiling
and a lot of singing 
and a lot of something else that no one else can see.

Lots of butterflies in the air
Lots of honeycomb everywhere
All the pretty things we could share
Together"

~Raggedy Ann

Warmly, A Dragonfrye Mommy

What Happens...

when you wake up one day and realise your dreams of the future (which is now your present) and your true reality crash?

You realise they do not match up.

Some things are better than you hoped

but then

there are things that are not at all the way you envisioned them to be.

~Sigh~

Life can be so messy and hard.

I am not the person I thought I would be.

I am not the wife I thought I would be.

I am not the mother I thought I would be.

I am weak, fearful, tired, a doubter, a run-away-er.

Did I already say weak and fearful? I guess I did. Well double it. Double everything.

To be totally humble, and maybe face judgement from those who are not as weak as I am I will share I took a 'vacation' from the home this past week.

By vacation I mean a 'Tina blows her top and runs (yes,like runs away) to a hotel' kind of vacation. At least I ran away before I blew more than just my top. Good thing 'cause for a few moments it could have gone either way.

Those who really know me can (with my blessing) insert an eye-roll about now.

I love you that you know me, you eye rollers, 'cause you know me, the real me, and yes you know this will pass. You know how I tick!!!

Anyway,

It was just a hotel down the street. Joel and Lily went with me and I had a few visitors looking for some quiet-ness and maybe better food than dad's lentil soup experiment. Never-the-less, it still was running away.

That's it.

My mess.

Messy me.

I am not quite sure what made my top blow like it did.

I really think it is a few things going on in this head of mine.

I fear getting older. I mean really really fear it.

So many things come along with getting older. Things like the kids growing older. Elena you CAN NOT turn 18. I forbid it!!

Getting older means my baby-less season of life has seemed to knock on my front door. I forbid that too!!

Getting older means looking older. Forbid!!!!

Getting older means more time to experience hard issues.

I am also mad that I seemed to have gone backwards not forwards in my walk with God.

Ok and the shallow me hates that I am not small anymore.

A weak,'fraid-y cat who just can not at times, especially lately, trust God's wisdom in my life.

~sigh~

Warmly,A Patchwork Mommy

A Random Thursday

Today is a day of rambling thought.

Nothing profound.

Just a string of disjointed Pooh brained musings.

Are you ready for some reading?

Here goes.

I started jury duty this week.

In our county one is on jury duty for four months. I am not sure if that means there are a lot of trials by jury in our county or not very many. I am supposed to call a hotline in every Monday evening to see if I am needed to go to the court house for duty that week.

My initial thoughts when I received my notice last month was utter panic. I was not sure if this timing had God's hand in it or not. I know by faith it does but in my Pooh brain it seems so unfortunate.

Of course, if I am off in a jury Jeff will not get paid and that will be very bad. Then again, this is the beginning of Jeff's new vacation period so I could not claim that being on a short trial would create a hardship on our family. It would not be what I would call a fun use of Jeff's vacation time but then again we really do not use his vacation time for vacations anyway. They are usually used for things like taking the kids to the doctors or dentist,car troubles, or if Jeff or myself are sick.

The biggest thing that bothers me about the timing is that there are friends of ours that will be going to trial sometime in 2012. I assume it would be a trial by jury. That could fall within my four months of service. Although, Jeff is sure because we know them and a bit about their situation I would not be picked as a juror as it would be hard to be non-biased. I still lay awake at night worrying a bit. Still sitting on a jury no matter who is on trial will be stressful. Besides in a county our size wouldn't most of the jurors know each other and possibly the ones on trial?

One thing I know is God's timing is good. I might even enjoy the time away from the house for a bit. It would also be exciting to see how a non Law and Order trial would be like. This four months will go fast enough and I probably would find my worries are not needed.

On a much more exciting note, Jeff and I made the decision to take our kids out of the AWANA program at our church. Currently, Jeff is one of the AWANA T&T leaders,our six older kids are AWANA helpers, and our other nine children participate in the AWANA program (ok,ok I just stayed home to relax). HaHa Do you think our absence will be noticed?

We so enjoyed the AWANA program. It worked well for our family for so many years but it is time to move on. We had been seeing the signs for a couple years. There were recent circumstances that motivated us to make this decision mid year but then again these circumstances were a blessing in disguise.

What will we do instead? This is the exciting part.

Jeff will head our own Wednesday night kids church and I am his side kick! I really think Jeff will shine doing this. I REALLY am looking forward to being a part of Jeff's vision. The things Jeff is the most excited about is the singing/worship and what AWANA referred to as council time. The meaty/teaching part. He is good at that. Some of the older kids will help Jeff with behind the scene planning or helping the kids work on their verses etc...much like they did for AWANA. HaHa and guess who gets to plan the projects?! Me!!! I LOVE that part!! The news was met with a mixture of tears and/or enthusiasm but even with tears this is a good thing. The older kids will still go to their own youth group,though.

Now this is an answer to desire for me. Why? well, most of you will understand what I am saying...or maybe not...I am an odd-ball. We can as husbands and wives, forget that we were put together to work together. God had a plan, a vision. We are one as husband and wife. It is false (in my opinion) to think that we will have greater success independent from each other. Second to our independent relationships with the Lord, our spouse is the well we should be drawing from. In the case with Jeff and myself, it seems that Jeff and I have been maintaining things side by side but not together, not as one. We can raise kids side by side, have a relationship with each other side be side but forget that we will be most usable by God being a unit of one. It is kind of like two people putting together the same puzzle but using two different tables to place their completed pieces on. Sometimes all it takes is just one thing, to work as one to remind us of God's vision for our family. In this case, Wednesday night kids church. Of course, not forgetting to mention that we have the greatest group of kids around to work with!!

Ok, I understand that there must be SO many holes in my reasoning. Please forgive me for that. A reminder this is our situation, our family, our experience, our leading by God. My words fail me in getting my point out but I get it and so does Jeff. He understands my disjointed thoughts

Whew...long winded I am today...

I need to end my post with a few highlights of this week.

Grant is playing his different cell phone ring tones to Joel and Lily.



A couple computer artwork pictures from Joel.




Ham and noodle soup with my ultimate favorite, fresh cilantro. SO SO good. If you ever met me in person you would understand my food pictures on my blog. I am not a thin woman. I am short but not thin. And I LOVE food.



Warmly,A Patchwork Mommy

The Bug Bit!

The quilting bug that is!

So out came the books



and the scraps



I finally decided on a book



I decided on the Quarter Log Cabin pattern. I am going for the scrappy look so I am not paying much mind to the placement of lights, mediums, and darks so the end result will not look as orderly as the quilt in the book...it will look much better.



So far,so good!



Warmly,A Patchwork Mommy

Up or Down

Because we have our bus now, I sit right in back of Jeff not on his right side.

It might seem odd to others but I do not mind it at all.

There is just one thing that really bothers me about this seating arrangement.

Jeff's visor being down.



I do not know why not seeing where we are driving bothers me so much.

There are many other windows I can look out of.

I think it makes me feel less in control.

In control of what!

I do not even know how to drive.

Funny!

As we were driving around the other day and I was stewing over Jeff's visor being down. Who cares if the sun is in his eyes...

Something kind of profound crossed through this fluff dense mind of mine.

This whole visor issue is actually a tender and sweet object lesson in faith.

How many times do I want to see where God is taking me before we get there?

Almost all the time!

Some of those times God does put the visor up so I can see a little of what is ahead.



Then again, there are those many times when the visor stays down despite my fussing and pleading and pouting.

God asks me to trust that he knows where he is taking me.

He knows the way.

He knows the obstacles.

He knows the fears.

He knows the outcome.

He also knows the good,and the blessings,and the joy that come along as I walk in faith.

You know the silliest thing?

I think I am going to start liking this visor someday.

Warmly,A Patchwork Mommy

Sometimes I Wonder...

There are so many days I stand back and wonder how in the world will my children ever grow up even half way normal.

I goof up way more than I get things right as a mother.

This set of verses is such an encouragement to me.

He said: “Listen, King Jehoshaphat and all who live in Judah and Jerusalem! This is what the LORD says to you: ‘Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s.

Tomorrow march down against them. They will be climbing up by the Pass of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the gorge in the Desert of Jeruel.

You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the LORD will give you, Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the LORD will be with you.’”

2 Chronicles 20:15-17


Of course, my children are not the enemy (ha ha maybe they might seem that way at times...I didn't just write that did I? It must have been someone else) but parenting can seem like a huge bloody battle at times.

You know like those medieval battles with flaming arrows and tar balls flying and blood everywhere like in the movies.

It can seem like that, but the parenting battles I most seem to fight are:

Against my own selfish will.

Against my fears.

To stay put and not run when things get difficult.

To stay loyal.

To be willing to be the 'bad guy' at times because I know in the end what I'm asking of my children is right.

To be humble.

To forgive.

To accept forgiveness.

The list goes on and on...

I feel like I wave the white flag of surrender all the time and run away in retreat.

BUT

Then there are those moments that I get a glimpse of God working beyond my feeble parenting attempts.

For instance:

My husband pointed out the other day that last week six of our children had served in various capacities reaching other children for Christ.

Elena is off on her mission trip to New Orleans. This had been a hearts desire for her for quite some time.

I also overheard my 6 year old son explain the gospel of Christ to my three year old and ask her if she wanted to ask Jesus into her heart.

Those are things Jeff and I can not take credit for.

I then realize I have the privilege of having a front row seat in seeing God working in my children's lives despite all the things I mess up at or all the battles I retreat from.

I am a very weak person but God is a very strong God.

He has a plan for each of my children a plan greater that any plan I could ever dream for them.

It's ok for me to retreat at times and watch God fight the battle.

He is a warrior and will fight fervently for my children.

He is faithful.


Warmly,A Patchwork Mommy

A Little Random This And That

Onion rings. Mm mm good



Joel saved me a taste of the cookie he got as a snack at AWANA Wednesday evening. Joel, you are so sweet!



Leave it to Josh to be the one to provide me with my first spring bouquet.
He thought he should pick them to save them from the snowy weather we are supposed to be getting.





In other news, we are finally getting our paperwork together to re-adopt Joyce ,Odell, and Naomi here in Minnesota. They came on IR4 Visas for those who are familiar with that. I know it's been three years. We were not in a rush. They were already ours and were not going anywhere. The girls are exited to choose middle names. So there official names are Joyce Anna , Naomi Genevieve, and Odell Charisse. Joyce and Naomi already had their own middle name choices picked out for a long time. Very nice choices. Odell said we could choose her middle name. What a honor that was. I know I wanted her middle name to mean kindness which is a character quality she displays a lot. When I searched names with that meaning and I saw Charisse, I knew that was perfect! Odell Charisse. Odell means a song. Charisse means grace,beauty,and kindness. So Odell is "a song of grace,beauty,and kindness". That describes her very well! I bet that is just what God was thinking of when he created her.

You can count on me sharing pictures of our big day in court.

In a tad bigger news,we are also getting ready to have a new home study done! A domestic home study this time around.Maybe shocking to some and 'finally' to others. We are hoping that the background checks and fingerprinting we had to do for the girls re-adoptions can be used for our new home study. Wouldn't that be nice and easy? Wouldn't it be even nicer if things like our birth certificates,etc..(you know the non-time sensitive stuff)could be carried over from our other two home studies. We would be just that much ahead! Anyway, might there be more Fryes in our future...? You will just have to wait and see but we hope so!

On a not so fun note, major bedtime issues with the Lids. That little Lily has not so little lungs. My sweet little one, who can do no wrong, was screaming out "bad,bad,stupy,mean mommy" over and over from her bed the other night when I put her to bed and most nap times. I thought the youngest ones in the family were supposed to be the laid back ones not the strong willed ones.

And a special Happy 8 1/2 birthday to our sweet Anya!

Warmly,A Patchwork Mommy