Looking forward!

I love blogging.

I don't like being away from it, but sometimes I go through periods of time where I don't feel like I have a creative thought to share, a blogging drought seems to plague me.

Writing has always been a passion of mine, as has photography. So blog world is a wonderful place for me to be. But sometimes (confession) I feel a little overwhelmed. You all are so wonderful and inspirational! You have so much to give and share! You blog regularly, you make projects, your blogs pour out beauty, inspiration, and LIFE, from every word!!! And I wonder, what do I have to share? I'm chuckling at myself right now. This is no cry for pity. I just love your blogs.

Feeling confused sometimes, I wonder, who am I? As a mother of 2 small children and one on the way, sometimes I feel at a loss. I love my life right now (except those awful pregnancy hormone days). But I also wonder how to incorporate creativity and inspiration into these days? Very much lacking the time, energy, and desire to pursue anything other than getting my kitchen clean and forcing myself to tidy the house leaves me wondering...My crafts, supplies, and sewing machine have been packed into a closet since my daughter was a little over one year old, because monkey that she is, I can't keep them out in plain sight or they get pillaged. I craft by the "mess method" I need to have it ALL out, so that I can see it all! We don't have any extra room in our home to be able to keep it in sight. I need a creative home makeover! (Mom....are you reading this?? hehehe...)

On a brighter note, we will be 20 weeks pregnant on Monday! That means we will be halfway through this pregnancy! Yay! And as of about a week ago, I seem to have emerged from the I'm-so-sick-I-feel-nauseous-ALL-the-time, period of pregnancy. Double Yay! I feel human again. Which means a return to blogging more often. We find out on Monday (if the baby allows us to find out) the gender!

Perhaps it's the taste of summer that is teasing me- the desire for warmth and fresh berries, to soak up the sun while the kids play in our little yard, iced tea and pie....but I've pulled out The Farm Chicks book again and have been spending a little time each day flipping through its delicious pages.

Their annual Farm Chicks Antique Show is coming in June, and I REALLY want to be there! I have the blessing of actually living (slightly) near this event, as my little home is in Western Washington, and their fabulous show is in Eastern Washington. It's a bit of a drive (nothing to blink at unless your pregnant and have 2 kids, wink wink), but it still remains a possibility. They are even having a Giveaway to be there for set-up day and a special dinner. Oh please-please-please can I win?? I'll DEFINITELY be there if I do. ;)

Looking forward to spending more time with you this Spring and Summer my friends!!

-Megan

Flounder, ears, art, all in a drive by!

Oh my goodness.

I'm floundering!

I started a fun digital art class, and am so behind in what I would like to be doing, but I just can't find time enough. Laundry. Kids. Dishes. Ear infections...

My son came down with an ear infection, his first one ever. We realized what it was when his eardrum ruptured. Eardrum rupture ='s blood. Not fun. But not dangerous either. Little guy is doing MUCH better after a visit to the Dr and some antibiotics.

I want to post pictures, I want to show art, I want to do my giveaway! I've almost reached my 100th post. I should have hit it much sooner in my 18 months of blogging, but alas, my time off while I was sick put the xnay on that.

All this to say- Dear friends, stick around. Your comments and visits are something I adore!

{Giveaway soon, art soon, more stories on life and faith...all soon.}

Right now? I'm headed out to take photos, let this kids play outside in some brief sun that we are getting, and try to have a little fun! ;)

See me leaving now ? I'm not even letting myself post a photo, even though this post looks drab!

Gone like the wind!!!
-Megan

Some days I want to throw a tantrum too!

I went to Costco today to pick up our Christmas photo cards...towing the little 22 month old and 4 year old by hand.

I thought, NO, I don't need a cart. I'm just picking up pictures!

I was wrong.

Wrong. Wrong. WRONG.

Warning: Always get a cart at Costco if you have little people with you. In fact, it's COSTCO. So just get a cart. Period.

We were doing okay after the photo pick up, so we ventured over to the movies. Then we got an idea for Daddy's Christmas gift, so we took our 2 movies we picked out, and went to another area (which must remain a secret). By this time, things were starting to get a little, uh, difficult.

Barely making it to check out, a kid in each hand, a video in each kids hand, and a secret present under my arm, we are slowly crumbling. Kid drops movie. Mommy picks up movie. Other kid drops movie. Mommy picks up movie. Youngest kid drops self onto floor. Mommy pulls up youngest. Repeat.

At the checkout, the youngest decides to completely collapse on the floor. The lovely box lady offers to put her in the spare cart that happens to be there. YES PLEASE! Youngest starts screaming head off now that she is picked up to stranger.

Apology from me to nice lady stranger. Telling youngest under my breath "See, if you throw a fit, I'll let a stranger pick you up." Of course, she has no idea what I'm saying.

We proceeded to the checkout with youngest screaming her head off, stiff as a board, as I force her into the cart seat and buckle her. My son is trying to ride on the bottom shelf of the cart.

Sigh.

I swore to myself I'd never let my child scream in a store. So much for that resolution! She's under 2...not much I can do there.

I'm sure we made a lovely Holiday scene. ;)

Both children are napping now, and I am going to regain my sanity! Thank you for joining me in my little moment of insanity. May your day be truly merry and bright!

Enjoying the silence,
Megan

A journey of healing.

Please forgive me for my 6 month absence from my blog. I have been through a lot, and I would like to share it with you. Many of you have probably forgotten who I am, or that you even subscribe to my blog! But that's ok. ;-) I'll forgive you if you'll forgive me. :-)

We all walk through trials of many kinds, and I want to offer hope to all of you. Each situation is different, but God's Truth remains.

I have been struggling with stomach issues for quite some time now, and finally went to the Doctor in July. After running some tests, I was declared gluten-intolerant, possibly having Celiacs disease. I had anti-bodies to gluten detected in my blood. Slightly overwhelmed, but striving to take this in stride, I set out into my new gluten-free lifestyle. Gluten is in wheat, barley, rye, oats, and every packaged and baked good. It is also added to many many things that you wouldn’t imagine it being in.

I was daunted, but we were doing ok. But after a time I started to get sick again when eating. I cut out milk, and moved to soy. I then began reacting to the soy. I cut out soy. I did better and then got worse. I went to a gastroenterologist and IBS was suggested, but several tests were recommended and we could not afford them with our current health insurance.

I tried with everything in my own power to overcome, to discover the root of this, and to get well. Nothing worked. We then went to a Naturopath, and she started me on some treatments that began to help. We ran an allergy panel to see if I had other food intolerance allergies. Ironically, they got the test results in just after I got home from an appt with them. So I had to wait 24 hours for another available appointment to talk to them. Apparently there was “too much” to discuss it over the phone. Unnerved at what “too much” could be in the world of allergies (especially after being tested for 94 different foods) I waited anxiously.

At this point, I had begun to turn to God and seek Him out with a new determination for healing and hope. And really, just strength to get through each day, because I was a mess. (Oh that I had realized the importance of this sooner!!!)

I was praying before my appt, and I heard the Lord say in my mind “It’s going to get worse before it gets better.”

And boy was He right. As I looked at my allergy test, I think I nearly went into shock. It was stunning. I was allergic to nearly everything I had been eating. Beef, turkey, all vegetables except cauliflower, all nuts, all potatoes, all milk and milk proteins, and every single grain including rice and corn and wheat type grains. even sugar and COFFEE. This left me with a diet of pork, chicken, fruit, and a few types of beans. I want you to take a moment to imagine living this way. I was facing at least a year of treatment and recovery to eat normal again. I was overwhelmed.

I began to spend time praying and reading my Bible like never before. Every morning I called out to God for healing and strength. Through this time, I began to know my Lord in a very different and intimate way. If any of you are confused by that statement, message me, and I would love to explain it to you.

On Saturday night the Family clan was headed to Red Robin to eat. I was considering going home because I was tired, kids were tired, and I didn’t really feel like sitting there smelling RR food and watching everyone else eat it. If I were to eat it I would end up very sick for the next several days. Dalen offered to take me home. He then asked if I could just go for the French fries. I replied “No, I can’t” and IMMEDIATELY heard a response in my mind- “YES, you CAN”. We felt uncertain as to if this was God speaking or just hopeful thoughts, so we took time to pray about it. We decided after several Bible verses came to mind, that we were going to step out in faith and have the French fries.

And so I ate…

And I did not get sick.

The next morning as I was praying, I read a Psalm that spoke of eating and feasting and praising God. It ended with the the phrase “for He has done it.” This echoed in my mind all morning long, and I repeated it out loud. After church Dalen and I were joking around and he laughingly said we should go out for Mexican food. (My FAVORITE). As we drove away from church, I looked at him and said “Should we?”. We prayed and again were reminded of certain Scriptures. So, nervously, but again stepping out in faith, we went out for Mexican. I ordered a Tostado Salad with all the fixens’ - a HUGE no no for my diet. The giant FLOUR tortilla shell, the sour cream, everything. Plus the glorious basket of chips.

I ate…

And I did not get sick.

The night before, when I had heard God speak “Yes you CAN” to me, I had this following conversation with Him in my head-
God: “Your time of healing has come.”
Me: “But is it really that simple?”
God: “Yes it is, if it is that easy for me to forgive you (with just one word) then it is that easy and simple for me to HEAL you.”

I am ashamed to admit that I discounted this at the time, thinking I was just thinking thoughts to myself.

But God spoke the truth.

I am healed. There is no sickness in my body! I have eaten brownies, latte’s, oatmeal, milk, everything. If I were still sick, I would be curled up on my bed, so sick. But instead, I am healed, I can eat, and I feel so well!

My God is a God of healing. He is a God of power. I testify to His work in my life. He healed me quietly, simply, and beautifully.

“I know there is nothing better for men than to be happy and do good while they live. That everyone may eat and drink and find satisfaction in all his toil- this is the gift of God. I know everything that God does will endure forever; nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it. God does it so that men will revere Him” Ecclesiastes 3:12-14

For He has done it!!!

Special order, Zoo, and Crazyness!

What a week! (I am now finishing this post I started 2 weeks ago...so what a month!) I had a special order (Thanks Amy!) and think it came out great! Hers is a peek at it-
I went to the park with my kiddos- don't you love my Dear Son's shirt?!? We got it at Pikes Place Market a bit ago. It's not made by Starbucks. =)

Here is my sweet boy and me in the background, my mom took this photo and it is so wonderful-

I have really been enjoying creating my designs. I have many orders flooding in as news about my new business gets out. I try to balance my time with my kiddos (6 months old and almost 3), cleaning my house, and cooking dinner. I don't get the second two things done very well, but at least I attempt it! Soon I will post pictures about our vacation we just got back from...