Project Life: April

Yay!

More documentation of my "mundane" life :)

I just got off the phone with my friend - my BFF from high school.  What a great moment to hear her voice after such a long time!  She & I haven't spoken in who-knows-how-long, but we just picked right up where we left off.  

Do you have a relationship like that?  Someone who may be far away (physically or situationally) and yet near and dear to your heart forever?  I am so grateful I have a few ladies in my life like that.  

My Project Life album is documenting these amazing blessings that are my women friends.  Clearly I NEED them in my life, and I appreciate them soooo much!  Although my daily life is focused on my kids and making them my priority - it is important to me to make personal connections with my friends.  That is truly what I am all about. 

In Week 14 I was so super duper excited to celebrate my other bosom buddy: Marisol!  What a joy it was to watch her lovely smile as she excitedly anticipated her upcoming wedding at her bridal shower.

In Week 15 I was so happy to celebrate my friend Kelli's birthday by throwing her a  little dinner at our house.  She is wonderful.

In Week 16 my AMAZING friend/cousin took my kids for the week of spring break so I could work (training some swimming instructors).  She is a gift to me!  Then we got to Easter plan and shop and talk and drink and laugh and play and hang out, too!!

In Week 17 I got to spend a little adult time with my homegirls Liz & Yvonne.  We shopped and day-drank.  How great is that?!

In Week 18 I spent one afternoon (National Scrapbook Day, People!) with my crafty friends Christina & Marty.  We mostly ate and talked, and why shouldn't we?


As you can see, I love people.  I am blessed beyond measure with enough food, shelter and clothing.  But I am especially blessed by the friendships and the real connections we can make through them.  You want to talk makeup and clothes? - I'm probably not your gal.  You want to talk deep thoughts, longings, childhoods, and joys?  - Oh, heck yes.


Loving reality,
Stacey

Deep Thoughts, by Stacey Wilson

My last blog post left me feeling a little bit of a liar.

Like I am actually all peppy and excited about stuff that is annoying.

And, let me tell you, I am NOT.

Which is why I am trying to change that part of me: the whining, complaining, angry-at-everything part of me.  It is why I have challenged myself to write down 1,000 things I am grateful for in 2014.  Sometimes I think it is helping.  Sometimes, not so much.

But I wanted to be clear:  I AM NOT THAT SWEET.

Here in Internetland, there is much fantasy.  Not as much reality.  I saw a commercial tonight where a mom is away on business and Skyping with her husband and kids back home.  They are all like, "yup, we're good.  Totally took baths and ate dinner" with a spotless backdrop.  She says goodnight, screen goes dark, and then we see the full pan of the filthy spaghetti-slung nasty kitchen: but they had wiped one square of the wall clean.

THAT is what Instagram is.  And Facebook.  And pretty much everything that we want to project to others even in "real" life.

And it is totally ok.  It is ok to be proud of the one clean room in your house, fo sho.  It is also ok to admit that the other nasty dirty rooms are stressing you out.  Or your functioning brain cells vs. your non-funcioning ones.  Or your career vs. your mommy guilt.  Or a multitude of other things that are shiny on one side and corroded on the other.

It. Is. OK.

Lest you believe that I have no dirty/stressful/non-functioning/guilt/corroded parts, I have an embarrassing story to share...


It all began the day before my dear friend was to get married.

(to protect the innocent, all names have been changed)

We are all checked in to this adorably newly decorated Inn.  My husband & I get dressed for the rehearsal, and walk out into the beautifully lit by the late afternoon sun lobby.  I introduce myself to another couple that is there, along with some I've already met.  Then my husband says, "can I see you in the room for a second".

awkward.

He then lets me know that my dress is completely see-through.  CRAP!  What the heck do I do?  I have no slip, no other undergarment options at all.

"Use mine", he says.

"I've been wearing them all day."

awkward.

But I do.  His saggy man-boxer-brief-shorts style chonies.

Under my silk dress.

Here I am just laughing away during the hotel happy hour with the Bride-to-be.

"Oh, hahaha" Yes, I am sooo relaxed.  

(IS EVERYONE LOOKING AT MY BUTT?)

Later, waiting outside the church.  I am trying to hide in the back.

Because, IS EVERYONE LOOKING AT MY BUTT?

Of course, during the rehearsal, I practice walking down the aisle.  

SEVERAL TIMES.  

(IS EVERYONE LOOKING AT MY BUTT?)

And, check out the static cling on that flipping dress!  What.  The.  HECK.

All night, I was tugging, shuffling, moving out of eyesight as best as possible.  Readjusting the suuuuper uncomfortable man underwear with certain bulging parts construction, you know.  Steve Erkel style was my waistband.  Somehow my butt was trying to eat the back of the dress all night.  

So..

Embarassing..

My only consolation is that I'm sure that no one was looking at my butt.  They were looking at the beautifully blushing bride, handsome groom, and practicing diligently walking down the aisle themselves.  Totally not my butt.

RIGHT?!

Please say right,

Stacey

February Project Life!

What's that you say?

It is almost May?

But, it's not, yet.  :)

You may know that my husband had hip surgery Feb 24.  And has been on crutches or the ice machine since.  And I've been doing most of the cooking, cleaning, caretaking, etc since then.

***insert my high school swim coach's daily mantra/quote here:

"Excuses lessen the pain of failure, but never lead to success."

So I'll just say, I AM doing stuff.  Scrapbooking, cleaning (kinda), laundry (lotsa), and caretaking.  I just haven't blogged about it.  I apologize.  I know you've all been holding your breath out there in the interwebs.

So, here are my Project Life pages for February!!

I started getting the Studio Calico PL kit.  It is fun!  And probably WAY too much stuff.  I'm starting to hoard.  A little.

Week 9 began with surgery.  It went well, but recovery has been rough.  If you pray, maybe you could lift up my husband for his endurance in this recovery.  It is hard for both of us.

But I am so, SO grateful for today.  The sun is shining, I have some time to myself, and I am making cards and blogging and scrapbooking a little this morning.  I am healthy.  My family has shelter, water, clothing, and love.

What more could a girl ask for?

Haha.  A lot more, I guess.  Starts with L.  Ends with "ouis Vuitton" Ha.

But it wouldn't truly make me happy!

Only a little...


Totally grateful for what I have today,
Stacey

Right now

Right now.

Right now I am reading a book called "Tell the Wolves I'm Home" by Carol Rifka Brunt

while waiting

Waiting for my Silhouette die cutting machine to make the most beautifuly lacy papel picado Save-the-date cards for my BFF's wedding.

Waiting and thinking.

Right now I am waiting and thinking.

I do a lot of this.  Well, not really a lot of waiting.  But a lot of thinking.

Some things I am thinking about right now:

1. How I have a lot of aquaintences.  But not a best friend.  I like to think and talk deeply about real things, so I'm probably too much to handle.
2. I really like my UGG boots.  So warm.
3. Blaine's first day of recovery from yesterday's hip surgery has been stellar.
4. I hope I'm not jinxing him for tomorrow.
5. I am really grateful for my project on gratefulness.  It helps me focus on the good, rather than my SUPER negative focus all all things bad.
6. My gel nail polish is so cool.  It really does last for so long.  
7. I'd like to get back to my book now.

Just thought the internet wouldn't be able to rest without knowing what my brain was processing just now.

Right now.

Muah,

Stacey

Gratefulness, a project about true love

So the bible says "Rejoice in the LORD always.  I will say it again, Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all." (Philippians 4:4-5)

Even today?

Even when I'm feeling cranky, complainy, and totally off my rocker?

Yes.  I suppose so.

I have been keeping a little notepad by my bed.  Remember by goals for BALANCE and GRATEFULNESS??  So, rather than mindlessly scrolling through Facebook or Instagram (more than I already do), I've spent the last few minutes before bed writing down things I'm grateful for from the day.

Here are my notes from the past week:

Feb 5, 2014 (#91-98)

• time with Clark at Target
• "Stacey, you're creative. Can you help me?" -spoken by two friends I ran into at Michaels.
• an invitation to a Pizza Factory lunch with Minda & Elliott
• The kids' excellent quiet time reading, each with a STACK of books.
• Piano lessons: jane beginning playing with two hands!
• Haley babysitting so I could...
• ...relax at yoga!
• staying up late crafting and planning and plotting.

Feb 6, 2014 (#99-115)

• Lisa
• Rain
• Coffee
• Tea
• Boots
• Umbrellas
• Garages
• Legos
• Dentist
• Floss
• Clean Sheets
• Cuddles
• Patience
• Craftiness
• Warmth
• Planning
• Teaching

Feb 8, 2014 (#116-117)

• Jane's super excited smile and talk throughout the getting ready for the father/daughter dance, leaving, coming home, and getting ready for bed. It was SOOO sweet. Im proud of Blaine for being there for her and for participating.  She loved it!
• Clark & I having our own little stay-at-home mother/son date.  He chose to watch the "Airshows from Above" movie (my dad's airshow & helicopter team DVD).  It was so cute, his "Awesome!" this and "Awesome!" that throughout.  We were both thrilled to see Grandpa Jim on video.  I am so grateful to have this to remember him through.

Feb 10, 2014 (#118-131)

• being alive
• the Olympics
• being inspired by so many Olympic stories
• being inspired by the "because of mom" commercials
• being DONE with the MOPS make-a-meal project 
• moms showing appreciation for the meals
• Marisol requesting my help for save-the-dates
• Clark's silliness
• Jane wanting to cuddle
• Patty/Alli/Cory #bookclub
• Having medicine to put on my giant chin cyst
• Enough $ in the bank
• Diane, Argie, Lisa & Kandice cleaning up during/after MOPS today
• being blessed to watch those servant-leaders in action.

At first, I was wondering how in the world I would be able to list 1,000 gifts in 2014???  It turns out, I could probably list 1,000 gifts every single day.  I am receiving them... but am I really noticing them?  This listing practice is helping.  

Although I am still terribly ungrateful, I'm opening up my eyes.

Join me?

gratefully,

Stacey

Gratefulness 2014

There is a worship song we used to sing in Young Life:

Gratefulness

Gratefulness is what I long for 

Gratefulness is what I need

Gratefulness 

Gratefulness is what You want from me.

Each verse had a new "...ness" 

- Thankfulness

- Brokeness

- Joyfulness, etc

(Hanalei Bay, 2010)

In 2012 I began reading a book by Ann Voskamp titled, "One Thousand Gifts".  The memoir is a very deep and intense look at this woman's life - a life full of tragedy, pain, and dullness.  And yet, it is a life in which one may find a multitude of beauty.  One Thousand Gifts, in fact.  The author documents these blessings, numbers them, and sprinkles them poetically throughout her book.  

And I am, in an attempt to be more Grateful, going to list my blessings this year.  I've done an exercise in gratefulness before, and was amazed at how quickly I could fill a page with detailed, big, and small blessings.  Now, I am documenting them in my Project Life  Scrapbook.  

1,000 gifts in 2014.  

Join me? 

Off to find my cards of lists to share with you,

Stacey