Fly Through Our Window - the account of our nest

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March9th
120 Comments
8 years and a few randoms
Posted in: Life
Today we celebrate 8 years of marriage. It’s actually really hard for me to believe it’s been that long and really we’ve only still just begun. My parents just celebrated their 35th last year and Justin’s parents are celebrating their anniversary today also… 42 years! I’ve been feeling a little nostalgic this last week… maybe it was my chat session with Erika about my career at the Florida DMV but I keep thinking about our early years of marriage. They were so different than these years. We are so very tied up with little ones and little did we know or understand the freedom that we once had. Sometimes we wish for a quiet evening and sometimes we laugh our heads off at our children and wonder what on earth we did before they were around. There’s no doubt our lives are richer and deeper because of children but also busier and a little more chaotic.
We spent the first couple years of our married lives at 1110 Pine Street, it was a smaller 2 bedroom house without a dishwasher and only 4 cabinets but we loved it and our neighborhood and our neighbors! Justin was in grad school at FSU and I worked long hours at the Florida DMV and have many stories to share for another time. Life seemed simpler then but life seems richer now and I wouldn’t change anything along the way. I love my husband, being married to him isn’t always easy and I know he’d say that about me too. I’m almost convinced that being married in general is hard. But I am thankful that he is who the Lord had for me and for our children. He’s a wonderful husband and a wonderful father!! And I love him with all my heart.
This our dog, Eufaby, she’s been with us since the very beginning…
And we both hope she’s with us for many more, even if she does sneak food from the table, open the “Simple Human” trash can with her paw and pull everything out.
In other news, Spring is peeking through the dreary days of winter and we’ve been outside a lot… getting dirty.
I want share this little man’s recent antics…
He cries at night… a lot.
He cries at night until we get him out of his bed.
I try to let him cry it out until I think I might lose my mind.
Then we console him and bring him to our room and lay him down between us.
Then he giggles uncontrollably for about 5 minutes.
While we shake our heads and try to decide if he’s thinking, “I love my mom and dad so much I can’t contain myself” or if it’s more of, “They’re such suckers they fell for me again!”.
Either way his uncontrollable giggles absolutely crack us up, even at 2:45 am BUT I do hope that it is short lived.
And last but not least. I hate television. My children don’t hate television but really don’t watch that much {which is relative, I’m sure} but when they do this is how I find them… zoned and oblivious to the world around them.
I’m thinking of having a completely “unplugged” summer. Anybody want to join me? I’m not willing to give up DVDs and movies but daily cartoons {even educational ones}… yes. Because minutes can quickly turn to hours and they never want to turn it off. Anyway, I’m thinking about it and have almost convinced myself that we will be almost completely TV-free this summer.
March9th
No Comments
forgiveness & grace
Posted in: Faith, Life
I love her with every ounce of my being. You wouldn’t have known that on Sunday afternoon when I acted like nothing more than a wretch towards her. She wronged her sister. But she also wronged me, or so I felt. She colored on the front of Paige’s dress {a dress that I had spent countless hours making, a dress that was to be Paige’s Easter dress} with a very permanent dry erase marker because she was mad at Paige for doing something, still what, I am not sure. Instead of reacting the way that I should have, I reacted the way that I shouldn’t have. I acted like a child myself, telling her that she would allow Paige to wear her flawless dress on Easter, that she would wear her school clothes and proceeded to gather and throw away every dry erase marker in the house. Ugh, I’m almost brought to tears just thinking about the words, the sharpness of my tongue, and the condition of my heart as I reprimanded her. With my tongue, I took her down and then proceeded to rub her face in the dirt. And this is a child that I would give my life for. If only I had paused, calmed down, and taken a small breather.
We were quick to address her sin… but what was harder than that was addressing mine. Apologizing to my children is incredibly difficult…. but I do it, and I do it more often than I wish I had to. It pains me because it means that I have to recognize my sin and my sin is gross, selfish, and mean. It pains me because it humbles me to confess and repent my sin to my children {& the Lord}, my imperfections, my failures. As their mother, it pains me to ask for their forgiveness. In my flesh, I “reason” that they are the children, they are the ones who need to be instructed, apologizing, learning the ways of the Lord, aren’t I supposed to already know how to “act”? Yet, in my heart, I know what the Lord wants of me and that is to confess and seek their forgiveness. And every time, the response is the same, “Yes, Momma, of course, I forgive you…. and I’m so sorry too!” With each instance of my coming before them asking for their forgiveness, I am hopeful for it to be the last time, unfortunately… I know that since my oldest is only five we’ve likely only broken the surface of being forgiven by each other.
A few weeks ago in our Monday night study we were talking about brokenness and the song Take My Life {brokenness is what I long for, brokenness is what I need, brokenness is what you want from me}. And how some people find distaste in asking for brokenness; that the Lord surely doesn’t want us to be broken. But the reality of such a concept is that out of the brokenness of our hearts {whether it be over the grievance of our sin or the current situation we face} springs mercy, love, compassion, holiness, righteousness, and faithfulness. While I’m never delighted for the opportunity to apologize to my children, I am thankful, that out of it, I am able to show them that I need a savior just like they do. Just as brokenness brings holiness, I pray the confession of my sins brings sweet communion with my children.
From The Valley of Vision {a collection of Puritan prayers} on The Family {pg 113– if you, or in my case, your husband has it on your bookshelf}…
O God, I cannot endure to see the destruction of my kindred.
Let those that are united to me in tender ties be precious in thy sight and devoted to thy glory.
Sanctify and prosper my domestic devotion, instruction, discipline, example, that my house may be a nursery for heaven,
my church the garden of the Lord,
enriched with trees of righteousness of thy planting for thy glory;
Let not those of my family who are amiable, moral, attractive, fall short of heaven at last;
Grant that the promising appearances of a tender conscience, soft heart, the alarms and delights of they Word,
be not finally blotted out,
but bring forth judgment unto victory in all whom I love.
Just a few reflections and thoughts for today… comments closed.
Another post to follow…
March7th
10 Comments
March Sponsors…
Posted in: Sponsors
Hello Folks!
I hope this post finds eachof you well. I’m so excited to share this month’s sponsors with you. They all have absolutely LOVELY things {some with great discounts too!} so be sure to click over to their sites. I asked each of them to share a little bit about their businesses….

::Blessed Be The Name Children’s Clothing::

In Ashley’s own words…
I am the owner and designer of Blessed Be the Name (a children’s clothing offered through trunk shows) & Favorite Laundry (offered to vendors in the Atlanta Apparel wholesale market). Since the last sponsor post, Favorite Laundry has a new retail store in Birmingham in a town & development neighborhood called the Town of Mt Laurel. Both lines are full of whimsical simplicity and wonderfully soft cotton, a great way to celebrate childhood and dress your children for your greatest memories….If you’re in the Birmingham area please come by and see us! Store address: 100 Croft Street Birmingham, AL 205.533.7861 Also, Ashley’s blogs here.

::The Rusted Chain::
In Beki’s own words…
Casual. Simple. Meaningful. That’s what The Rusted Chain jewelry is. They’re pieces you can wear with a flirty sundress, boots and jeans, or your favorite blazer. We have necklaces, earrings, and even a bracelet or two thrown in the mix. Because Darby has the most fabulous readers in all of blogland, please enjoy a 15% discount on any purchase through the end of March with code window15. You can find TheRustedChain blog and newsletter sign up here.
*Lime Twist earrings pictured above can be found HERE

::Stella Bella::
In Rachel’s own words…
Stella Bella Boutique is a jewelry shop that offers pieces that are dainty, bold, and everything in between. All pieces are vintage inspired and custom made. Stella Bella Boutique also does custom orders for individuals and wedding parties – all you need to do is ask!
Special Offer: Every order $50.00 and over will receive a free pair of robbins egg blue rosebud studs shown in the picture!

::Smitten & Co::

In Tara’s own words…
When you purchase tees from Smitten & Company, not only will your children be sporting original designs, but they will be made with the highest quality materials on the softest, thickest shirts around. Boys and girls love them just as much as Moms do! I have also added dresses for girls up to a size 6 that go perfectly with leggings and tights. And if you’re already thinking about Spring, I have ruffled bloomer sets for baby girls that were very popular among Moms last summer!

::jaC jewelry::

In Janna’s own words…
I create unique one-of-a-kind and limited edition works of art. Whether you like delicate earrings or chunky statement necklaces, you are bound to find something you will love! Specials include: For the entire month of March, get free shipping in the US and 10% off orders of $50 or more worldwide! Simply mention this blog in the notes to seller when placing the order, pay with PayPal, and I will refund the discount right back to you. The sale does not apply to custom orders and items in Clearance and Cancer Awareness/Charity sections. And I {Darby} had the pleasure of picking out this beautiful necklace for Janna to include in the post. It can be found here.

::Harris Properties Beach Rentals::

In Melise’s own words…
Harris Properties is a family owned and operated business renting vacation homes on the beautiful sand of Gulf Shores and Fort Morgan Alabama. We offer an amazing Fly Through Our Window discount! Email or Call and ask for Melise! :0) Your toes will be wiggling in the soft Southern sand in no time! www.ourgulfshoresvacation.com 877-4GO-GULF

::pixelimpress::

In Pam’s own words…
I love paper, patterns and colors, modern and traditional, and fonts. I love trying to find the unexpected yet beautiful way of mixing all of those to create a look that’s unique. I’m environmentally conscious and use recycled materials as much as possible. And I strive to always give excellent customer service. New square calling card patterns are in stock! You can browse them here.

::EngLady::

In Kat’s own words…
Hello! My name is Katherine or Kat, as most friends refer to me. I create classic jewelry with a touch of vintage charm. Most of my pieces are versatile, easily transitioning from casual weekend wear to special occasions. I work primarily with semi-precious stones and freshwater pearls paired with sterling silver, fine silver, or higher quality gold vermeil and gold filled. I adore watery blues and greens, which is often reflected in my work; but I also love working with other colors. If you have a special request for a design or stone combination or need multiples for your bridal party, simply ask!

::Spencer Morgan Designs::

In Rebecca’s own words…
Spencer Morgan Designs is a unique handmade jewelry company that specializes in creating modern pieces from vintage jewelry. I also love custom designing jewelry for people to complete an outfit, re-invent a family heirloom or create special pieces for a bridal party. The majority of the pieces are one-of-a-kind so you won’t have to run into someone with the same necklace. For a 10% discount on online orders enter promo code “FLY.”

::Kendall Boggs Fine Art::

In Kendall’s own words…
I paint large format paintings with molding paste and acrylic. Sometimes I use a heavy varnish and many times I throw coffee grinds on the canvas! I am inspired by memories so unless I am painting a painting for someone specifically, I usually don’t know what the outcome will be until I am finished. I am doing my first Solo Show in Jackson Mississippi at The South Warehouse, Friday, March 12th. 5 – 8. It’s a huge honor to have this opportunity! Just thought you might like to mention that it is open to the public.

::Noteworthy::
In Christy’s own words…
These days, with the constant flow of emails and text messages, isn’t it so nice to receive a personalized handwritten note from a thoughtful friend or family member? Personalized notes add that extra charming touch! We are your online source for creating custom invitations and announcements for any special event! Is someone in your life getting married, expecting a child, or planning a party ? Visit our online store to create a memorable invitation for your special occasion. Special Discounts: The Twice as Nice Sale!!!!!!! Order 25 or more notes or folded notes and we will double your order – FREE! (No code needed) Also ALL birth announcements are currently 20% off!

::Lisa Leonard::

In Lisa’s own words…
Our exclusive, hand-drawn vintage frames {pictured above with Lisa and her twin sister} are a little funky and a lot of fun! Wear a single charm or layer the charms ($22 for each add’l charm) for a casual, up-to-date look. lightweight sterling charms are strung from sterling chain and sweetened with a cream, freshwater pearl. Customize each frame with the initial of your choice. starting at $38!

Thanks, ladies! As always, I’m honored and delighted to share my blog with you!!