Leaping to the Laundry Room

Hey, it is LEAP year! An extra day. An official birthday for some.  Only every four years. Happy Leap Day.

Then, there's the piles of laundry that await me. I could be sad and have that I dread it attitude or...

I could have some fun. Leap to the Laundry room and sing this song while doing it all:

Never-ending Laundry

(Sung to the tune of Never-Ending Story

1984 song by Limahl

http://youtu.be/EJEpOzlFPrc )

Turn around, sort all the dirties

darks and colors, for the whites add bleach

Piles of clothes are everywhere

Given a bigger washer, need a faster dryer too

is the answer to the never-ending laundry.

Reach the Shout

No stains on sleeves

Dream in clean

and what you see will be

Shirts that keep their wrinkles

will unfold with an iron

and there upon the hanger

is the answer to the never-ending laundry

Show no fear

rinse and wash it away

in your hands

the birth of fresh Pj's

(repeat the third chorus with..)

Never-ending laundry

No, I haven't lost it. But, my blog can't be serious all the time. Just like me.

Hope you have an excellent Leap Year and Leap Day!

-I plan on celebrating this extra day I have been given! What about you?

A gentle breeze

Yesterday, I really wanted to hear God. I feel like lately the harder I try, the more I fail at it. Like my human effort is null and void.

Why is God silent with us sometimes? Or is he?

Yesterday, I took a walk to get the mail. It was a surprisingly warm, breezy day for February. I was taking advantage for some fresh air and to get out of the house (other than for business or errands).

I was conversing to God. NO, crying out. Okay, there was some why's and groaning. But, In Exodus 15:20-27, Moses cried out when the Israelites complained because the water they found after 3 days in the wilderness was bitter and everyone was thirsty. God delivered. 

Like when my two year old cries from his toddler bed, "daaaadee" because he has lost his binkies. And, dad delivers.

A storm was brewing from the the West and so the temperature dropped, the sun hidden by looming clouds, and as I approached the house I just stayed in the garage and wept. 

A gentle breeze touched my cheek and pushed my hair out of my face. 

I just listened. I enjoyed the silence.

I didn't hear God's audible voice, but somehow I felt His presence. 

And that was enough.

Last night during a bible study with hubby, we learned a name for God I haven't heard of, Yahweh Rophe (yah-WEH ro-FEH) or the Lord Who Heals.

We could use some of His healing in our household right now. Not just physical either. I believe I experienced that yesterday. A bit of healing as I wept to Him in the silent storm that was brewing.

Yahweh Rophe, thank you.

Captured Emotions with my WebCam

Okay...so I was bored. I really can only play cars for so long with my boys...and well, I don't have what some people would call a grandiose life. Lately, I feel restless and I literally cannot breathe. So here are some snapshots of my emotions.  Hey, remember you have been warned that this is a blog about honesty (see pictures below).

Monkey Face

I am only displaying my silly, kid self. I have been told I have the Sanguine, Melancholy personality. Naaah!

Wrapped up in Grit

When I first saw grit, I thought of grits. Not my favorite choice of food. Gritty. Tasteless. Dull. Needs salt, butter, or tons of something for flavor.

Then, I thought of this...

Look at the pretty colors. Especially on the right knee.

 Me, running. See silly human miss huge rock in front of her and trip. SMACK! Pain and burning radiating from a small, but super important knee bone. Gritting my teeth each step I took back to the car to get home. To get help. Don't worry, I recovered with nothing broken.

Over the years of my life, I have been wrapped up in grit. Covered, dripping with the stuff. I didn't recognize it until my mid-twenties (that was awhile ago) how covered I was. You see, it takes grit to face life with courage...with a God you can't see and who will ask you to trust Him with ALL of it.
In my toughest of trials, in the mundane even, I have been cloaked with Him. I don't have to just grit my teeth, and do it alone or afraid.

Even if I fail, He will redeem me. He has cared for me all along/always has and always will.
                                         "In your word Father you say,

                                          "I have cared for you since you were born...

                                           I will be your God throughout your lifetime--
                                            until your hair is white with age." -NLT

On Fridays we write like we believe we can fly. Won’t you join us? (<—Tweet this!)

1. Write for 5 minutes flat – no editing, no over thinking, no backtracking
2. Link back here and invite others to join in.
3. Please visit the person who linked up before you & encourage them in their comments.

An ordinary day...

An ordinary day in photos...From:

So my day starts by 6 am...I'd rather be sleeping...

Breakfast can look like this or...

look like this...usually it looks like this.

Some days I can get a good workout in before the days' festivities begin...

Or read or study God's word.  

IF ANY OF THE ABOVE goes smoothly...well, than this is a good day. :)

The children always have time for playing and that is their main goal!

At some point, there's often a need to have to wrestle and haul the kids to the car for the plethora of errands to be fulfilled. ("Hey, you are NOT old enough to drive yet. Look, your feet don't even touch the pedals.")

OKAY...I don't exaggerate...this is how overwhelming a typical day can feel. Think 3 minute showers, NEVER-ending laundry (sung to the tune of Never-ending Story),  consistent, repetitive statements such as, "No, don't touch that, hitting hurts, uh-oh. You have to have a time out. Please pick up your toys, only food, drinks and toothbrushes go in your mouth." Truth is sometimes I think my kids believe that the T-Rex ate up mommy for the day and watch out cause being baby-sat by a T-Rex can be hairy.

When Dad (mi esposo-) arrives home, he can find us outside if the weather is warm enough.

Sweet hubby helps with dinner or left-overs or even serves up the pizza.

So after dinner is usually baths, bedtime stories, possible playing in the dark with flashlights, and many hugs and kisses. If it is 7:30 pm and hubby and I are looking like this, (usually propped up by the couch and vegging to a movie or something) well you can bet it has been a typical, ordinary day in the Adkison house.

El Roi (El-raw-EE)

When I first met my husband, I joked-no warned, "I have a curse you know. A black cloud that seems to follow me around." I don't think he took me seriously then because he still decided to marry me!

But, if you know me, it is true. If anything can go wrong and you are near me...it will. I am not kidding.

It is not that my life has no blessings or good things of it. There's just inevitably some disaster or rocks in the path circumstance waiting to reveal itself. Always!

Pure Delight

I could write on tons of things that give me delight, but I only have five minutes.

"You are the most precious, mom, princess in the whooooole world." -My four year old


*Hard hugs and kisses from my 2 year old. 

Giggles from upstairs that led to a mess that I wasn't expecting (okay, that part wasn't delightful).

Roses, chocolate, and a look that says, I love you deeply.

Delight! 

Enough said! 

AND...Yes, secretly I am a princess.

I'm a 1795-1820 gal: Which Fashion Era Would You Want to Have Lived In?

     Sometimes this day and age drives me nuts. Too much social media, internet at the touch of a cell phone, people who should just sew on permanent technology since they can't seem to detach from it anyway. Oh! Did I mention way too much access to dangerous items? I find my self assimilating and resistance is almost futile. I occasionally talk to people while grocery shopping and I fancy texting entirely too much. And...you are reading my blog.
    So I often sit and ponder what my life may have been like if I had lived in a different decade or era altogether. I am a mid 70's-80's child, but I being a young adult during the period from 1795-1820 would've have been interesting. I think I would have fit in nicely.

During this time, fashion had abandoned the stuffy, constricting corset for a more high-waisted, natural figure. A chance to breathe is more like it. The fashion just seemed so freeing, wasn't form-fitting (like skinny jeans...ugh!) other than around the bust and looked utterly comfortable. Kind of like pajamas. Would that not be the best fashion if designers could make everyday wear feel like P.J.s?

Just look at how pretty and cozy this dress is? I can so see myself lounging as she is after

 reading a letter from my beloved hubby or family member.

Other perks? Sure...small pox vaccination, batteries, preserving jars for food, then tin cans, and a patented first soda fountain (carbonated drinks were already invented. Hey, sometimes a Coke hits the spot especially with pizza. There was already a flush toilet, safety locks, and the Cotton Gin...almost forgot the guillotine (yikes). 

Life just seemed simpler, less busy, less pressure with less time wasters.

 Maybe that is true. However, I could have been born poor. (Wait, my family was lower-middle class) Anyhoo, I would've been exiled by the middle to upper class. Marry poor because Jane Austen gave us a glimpse of how class/money ALWAYS matters. Even today. Not so simple after all.

Life then didn't have the modern conveniences of today. Like ovens and microwaves. I BET food tasted better then and well we know it didn't have preservatives.

But, I wasn't meant for that era. God created me for the time period I am in now. A chance to experience a freedom that didn't exist then. Opportunities a woman never would have had in those days.

God wants me to live here. In the present. Saying yes, Lord. I will do that, love that person, forgive or listen to or befriend so and so.

"Yes, I will trust you Lord to hold me when I don't have the strength to hold on."

Below is taken from Lysa TerKeurst's book, When Women Say Yes to God.

"Yes, Lord.I want your patience to invade my desire to fly off the handle."

"Yes, Lord. I want your provision so things don't seem so overwhelming."

Yes, Lord. I will live in the here and now. 

Hey, it ain't all bad. Who knows...maybe among all this social media I can encourage or help someone?

*Some facts were taken from Wikipedia and a 1800 century timeline.

Trust is a five letter word

Write in 5 minutes flat about one topic.




Today's word: TRUST




Trust is the reason I have been friends with her for 24+ years. I met her when I was in 7th grade.
She was shy. She was foreign, but she seemed interested in being my friend.
I needed a friend. I was new to school too. 

Her skin is that of a rich cocoa and her bovine eyes tell you that SHE is trustworthy. Her hair is long and a deep, brackish color and my sweet best friend is prettier than she believes.

The first thing I remember about her was her laughter, her German background that intrigued me and her kindness.

We have watched each other grow up from preteens to full fledged adults. We have remained friends across the distances of cities and states. Shared tears, bad-mouthed ex-boyfriends, tortured and loved my brother, and even shared a college class with a woman whose clearing of throat phlegm about made us pee in our pants.

We've watched each other finish college, grab hold of careers. She divorced, I got married (12 yrs. now). She had a child and named me the Godmother. She is that for my children now too.

5 deaths later and my biggest cheerleader still grieves with me. She lost her grandmother too.

My life can never be without her in it. She is my sister and God perfectly planned it all.

I'm a Little Teapot (My real story)

Sing with me now...

                                     I'm a little teapot, short and white

                                     Here is my temper, all in plain sight

                                     When I get all steamed up,

                                      Hear me shout

                                      Just listen, obey and don't you pout.

If you haven't guessed it...I wrote this because I was  having one of those days. Patience wearing thin. Tired of parroting. Is that even a word? Or did I mean tired of parenting? Nope, ya know "parroting" as in I. Said. It. More. Than. Once? Now I sound like a nag. Okay, I'll admit I am sometimes, but after awhile insanity begins to creep in after a reasonable request has been consistently ignored.

I don't like it when I am the teapot. Always blowing off my boiling frustrations at the ones I love the most. It seems my littlest boys are burned more than I care to admit. Yes, there are situations when I am justified in my anger, but not justified in the reaction. I need to respond rather than react. 

At the moment, I am torn. TRAPPED. Stuck between wanting to be content with being at home, but feeling a desire to go back to work. A place where I can feel productive and useful. (Don't judge). Maybe some of you stay-at-home moms are in your niche. You are right where God has placed you.

I don't feel that.

I don't regret having been home this year to get to know my kids. I didn't search for a job because I strongly believed that God made it abundantly clear that I was to stay home. At least for this year. Now, well I am not so sure. Many days it is not like I don't want to be my sons' mom it is that I am not sure I want to be the at-home, full-time caretaker. 

People say that being at home is the highest calling or the greatest job. I agree. However, I cringe a bit when I hear that because in my heart I don't feel that for my self. Yes, there is great purpose and value in loving your children, providing for them, and just being at home instead of having someone else raise them.

I have learned that raising your kids full-time IS a full-time job. And that is only part of the job. I respect my mother even more and have a greater understanding as well as respect for those who choose this path over a career.

But...I am not there. I didn't actually choose.  So why don't I just quit whining and get a job?

Because...what if there is more to my story? What if obeying and doing what I am doing is preparing me for something bigger than I comprehend or know right now?

What if ?

Not Into Fake

5 Minutes to write about REAL.







When you don't pretend that didn't hurt. I confessed my true feelings. Not brutally honest, but no one has to second guess how I really feel about it.

I don't put band aids on your hurts. No pink thinking. No warm fuzzies. I say, "I don't know and and I don't know why?" I listen. I just be.

I cried and you let me. You said, "Dionne, I don't know what to say." That is EXACTLY what you say. There are no words for this really.

I don't want to be here. I don't want this pain. I want God to take it away. I don't want the confusion.

I don't understand and maybe I never will. I want to run away sometimes.

I feel like I am trapped in some other person's story and only a few want to read the true one.

The Picture of Me

The Prompt: Share a photo that captures who I am...

The following photo is one that captures who I am at heart.

It is not a current picture. I was camping with hubby and we were enjoying the peace and serenity of the spot we had found.

Note the smile, the relaxed pose, no make-up, no fancy clothes. No pretenses here and there is little to hide (don't let the crossed arms deceive...the temperature was cool). That is me.
I am fairly comfortable in my own skin.

I am a nature lover and I like to sit and be with others. It represents my kind, compassionate and more mellow side. I am bit silly and a kid at times and hints of that exist in the picture as well.

BUT...if you want to understand how it feels or looks to follow God, to be in a secure, loving relationship with Him, well that is so exhibited in this photo: there's peace, joy, hope, grace, I am forgiven, no rules, no religion, I am unconditionally loved and accepted. Even in the hardest of trials I have experienced, the Lord has still been worth believing and following.

Being a Christian is the very essence of who I am now. Has been for 17 years. I can't imagine ever going back to how it was before.


Just curious, but what do you see in the photo?