Real housewife

I get so disgusted with the outward disrespect of women! More specifcially the modern day housewife. The role of the housewife has changed, somewhat. We may have some great modern convienences that the housewife of the 50's sure didn't have to worry about. But, even then the REAL housewife had to fight against the same thing that we in the year 2009 are still fighting against. Let me just give you some photos to show my point. The first photo you see is a "housewife" and her family in the 50's? Looks perfect, right? Have we really evolved all that much? You would think, right?

This picture is the "Real Housewives". This is modern day times? Do you look like that? I know I sure don't! Where are the jeans and t-shirt? Where are the kids running around with a dirty diaper to change? Where is the basket of unfolded laundry that is all over my bed right now? Where is the pizza box that you had the husband pick for dinner because you just don't have time to make it tonight?

Ohhhh, here she is! Here is the real housewife!! Yep, that looks like me. How about you?

Here are my real housewife friends! You go, girls!

What if?

Going to the park is a weekly accordance in most communities all across the world. Many stay at home mom's find themselves loading up the kids after an afternoon of cleaning up messes after messes, head to the park as a way to just not have to corral the kids for a few minutes. I see dad's at the park whose wives are at work for the day and it is their day to take care of the kids. I see the nanny at the park letting the kiddos run free for a little bit before her shift is over for the day. I see the grandma making memories with the grandkids at the park as she encourages her grandchild down the slide.

There are all kinds of people and all kinds of reasons for visiting a city park on any given day. My girls and I love to go to the park. In Oregon, there are more city parks than in any other state. That means, we literally never go to the same park! We love to explore different parks around our area. They are all different too. The play areas are different. The flowers and trees surrounding are different. Some have little creeks, some have hiking trails, some have huge ponds, some have sandboxes, some have only HUGE play equipment built for the big kids, some have the toddler section specifically designed for the tots. Each park is unique and one of a kind. But, there is something distinctly similar and familiar about each and every park that we explore.

We get out of the car and the exuberant excitement almost oozes out of the skin of my 4 year old, Grace. She gets so excited about going to the park. Hope, almost 18 months old, also gets excited. So, I will hold their hands until we get close enough into the park to release their hands and say, "Go play." This is the part that never changes. I have never once seen ANY kid at the park be hesitant about playing with another kid without ever even knowing that kids name. Grace usually picks out a group of girls and without any words spoken will begin a common ritual of 'tag'. Hope will begin to climb up and down whatever stairs are there. And will babble to whatever toddler is there at the moment. As I watch this scenario play out time and time again with kids, I see another familiar story. I look around at the perimeter of the park arena and see parent after parent lined up on the benches. One at each bench, of course. Or parents standing at a comfortable distance from the other parent. Some on their cell phones, some reading a book, some just watching their kids with a glazed look of exhaustion on their faces. Some with a look of hopelessness. I sit at my own private bench and take all of this in. I wonder to myself is any of the other parents are thinking what I'm thinking? How is it that little people barely able to even carry on a conversation can so easily, without trust issues, without any baggage, or without reservation makes a BEST friend out of the little girl or boy they just met and yet we as adults can't even share a bench or maybe even our story? Isn't that how the church functions as well? We walk into our pretty buildings and say, "Oh, Sue, nice to see you. How are you?" And without missing a beat Sue will sigh and say, "I'm good. Can't complain. Blessed." letting out another sigh. We know that there is more to Sue than what she is saying but we don't press further. That would mean that we would have to trust someone enough to open up our life to and we just don't know if we have the time for that. But, what if? What if you sat by another mom at the park and began a conversation that lead you into a great friendship? What if you opened up your home on a Sunday afternoon share some coffee with Sue and really find out how she is really doing? What if? MAYBE? We became more like Jesus? Just a thought. I know its something I'm thinking of.

Hearty Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe from Allrecipes.com

I love this soup. My family loves this soup. It is just an all around great dish for just about anything. We are making it today, all all-American bbq day, because Grace and I are sick with head colds. Top it off with a pan of brownies for dessert and my little family of 4 is very happy.

Check out this recipe I found on Allrecipes.com!

Posted using ShareThis

Who are you?

I am a mom. I am a wife. I am a daughter. I am a daughter in law. I am a sister. I am a sister in law. I am a pastor's wife. I am a miscarriage grief survivor. I am a cook. I am a hot tea lover. I am a dog owner. I am a religion hater. I am a Christ-follower. I am a fat flab fighter. I am a Trader Joe's addict. I am an iphone user. I am a blogger. I am a Tweet. I am all things, too Grace and Hope. But, I am also a woman.

We worry, fret, nurture, cuddle, discipline, provide, sacrifice, and all for our kids. I think it is not only okay, but absolutely necessary to ask yourself, "What are my needs?" "Who am I without my kids?" "What has God placed in ME to do?"

So, tell me! You can either post on this blog or you may e-mail your fears, joys, heartbreaks, and profound words that mean something in your life. I want stories of all these things to be able to include in a monthly newsletter specifically designed for mom's, more specifically mom's of Life Church. You can either use your name or be completely anonymous. Your story could be the next words that a woman could read and make all the difference in her life.

E-mail me: kristinthompson06@gmail.com

Let's talk! I am also available for coffee dates, as well. If you are in the area and would like to share your story, I would love sit and listen to it.

Life is

Life is blank. I love to blog but I find myself in a blog rut this week. Not sure what it is. Just not many thoughts rolling around in my head. Okay, so maybe that isn't entirely true. I always have lots of thoughts. But, all in all, life is really good right now. I mean, our car is still in the shop because Bryan got in a wreck 2 weeks ago and neither of the insurance companies can come to an agreement. We do get to drive around a nice rental for only $2.24 a day. My vacuum cleaner died on me this past Friday spreading dirt and dried up cheerios all over my carpet. Of course, I'm not complaining about that one. I got a Dyson. I've been waiting for that thing to give out for awhile now. See, life is just good.

Life is busy. From Tuesday through Sunday, it seems life never slows down. We come home from church on Sunday mornings feeling so awesome about where we are and excited about our church, then we crash the rest of the day. Mondays are spent doing things with the kids. Then Tuesday morning hits and we do life all over again. It's busy, but very fulfilling.

Life is good. Not sure what else to say about it. It is just good. I truly give glory and honor to Christ for his absolute faithfulness to me. He has truly seen me through some historic moments in my life, only to show me that he never changes and that his goodness is fresh and new every day!

Cherish it today.

Being a mom is so hard. There are a lot of days that I don't enjoy being home all day and doing the same tasks over and over. And if we're all honest about it, none of us enjoy EVERY day with our kids. There are times when we want to put them in the car and take them back to the hospital from where we "picked" them up at. Yes, there are a lot of my days that are just suck every single cell of energy out of my body and I feel as though I can't go on any longer. On such days, I will be pulling Hope out of the bathtub and drying her off, getting the diaper and pjs on, pick her up to get her to the bed and all of a sudden she'll look at me, smile, and pull her little arms around my neck and hold on tight. In that moment, a few zaps of energy return to my tired body. That little squeeze gives me the "get up and go" to make it back to the tub for the 2nd go around with Grace. I mind-numbingly put my creative hat on to get her hair washed with as little drama as possible, get her out, dressed, teeth brushed, hair brushed and deal with all the tears that usually ensue from that. I rub my eyes, yawn widely and sit down on the couch to routinely begin reading her a story out of her "My First Message Bible". Then she'll grab my hand and we sit together, lean her head over on me, and listen to me read. Another zap of energy returns to me and warms my heart. We will then get a drink of water and head off to bed where I'll rub her arm while singing, "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star." As I turn to leave her room, I hear, "Mommy?" I turn and hope that she is not getting ready to go into the endless stories of the day and take forever to go to bed. I am feeling the relief of the day getting ready to begin and I am just itching to close that door and do NOTHING. But, I stop, turn and say, "Yes, Grace?" She sits up in bed and says, "Mommy, I love you, you know." I am filled with all the energy that had left me that day. I smile and say, "Grace, I do know and I love you too. Now go to sleep so you can be ready for a new day." As I shut her door I realize how wonderfully blessed I am to have two little girls with so much affection in them to share it with me. I know that I am tired, but tomorrow I'll get up and do it all over again because I know that those tight squeezes and those "I love you's" won't happen much in the future years to come and I want to grab on and cherish today.

From my blog to yours....

I love reading blogs from other women that speak honestly. I found one today that I just love and thought I'd pass it along.

http://themommyrevolution.com/

I am a magnificent creation

The water of Multnomah Falls rushes just twenty minutes east of Troutdale. The Oregon side of the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area extends from the Sandy River, all the way to the Deschutes River. The water of Multnomah Falls rushes just twenty minutes east of Troutdale. The Oregon side of the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area extends from the Sandy River, all the way to the Deschutes River, nearly 80 miles. Multnomah Falls is the second-tallest year-round waterfall in the nation. The water of the Falls drops 620 feet from its origin on Larch Mountain. Unusually cold weather can freeze the plummeting water into a majestic icicle.

We visited this magnificent creation of God just last weekend. As we enjoyed our drive through Portland and then began to see the "purple mountain majesties" I thought about what Katherine Lee Bates was writing about in the most patriotic song we all knows as, "America, The Beautiful". And wow was she right. We began to drive winding roads that would behold a new founded site around the corner. As we kept following the sounds of the GPS telling us which way to go, I became taken back by the absolute beauty of the earth. The dirt, even, was beautiful. Every energetic green leaf and every rock formation on the sides of the road that seems to raise itself as high as it could to the sky. The scripture kept playing over and over in my mind about how the earth trembles at the very mention of the name "Jesus". My soul began to tremble at the thought of this as well.

We turned the last corner and heard the GPS announce "arriving at destination". We parked our car with the rest of the visitors. I felt much anticipation to be able to see this site that I had kept hearing about. I had seen the pictures online but wondered if it was really that spectacular. We gathered the girls and all the things for our picnic and walked towards the cabin that held a small cafe and gift shop. I heard rushing water from the moment I opened my car door but the sight that held me captive as I made my way past the espresso cafe' was something that almost made me weak in my knees. The most gorgeous fall I had ever seen welcomed me as if it had been waiting just for me. The smell of fresh water and the almost neon green leaves and moss that blanketed the rocks around the falls were something almost unreal. But, this was very much real. And created by the same God who molded me in his hands. The same Creator of this majestic Multnomah Falls was the very same Creator that breathed the breath of life into me from the very start in my mother's womb. The very One who placed the rocks into place like this, knew the water would fall and make a beautiful site for his most prized creation to enjoy. Then he would turn from that fall to do what he truly enjoys. Us. He would mold, shape, and make us into who he wants us to be. We are his most famous creation. We are the ones that he looks at and smiles. We are the ones that make his heart take flight. We are His and He is ours. The most magnificent of creation will never compare to vast pleasure our God and Savior receives from us. How awesome of a thought is that?

My daughter came to me this morning to fix her hair bow that had fallen out. She says, "Mommy, can you fix this?" So as I began to gently caress her face and then pull her hair back into the bow she looks at me with a smile and says, "You always fix me, Momma." Today I look to my Father and reach out my hands and ask "Can you fix this thing that you created and I broke? Can you show me my path and fix what I mess up? I am your greatest creation but yet I can't even keep it together. Be my Creator again. You always fix me, Father!"

My husband sang this song in service this morning and I just kept thinking of the blog that I had wrote earlier and had to post it. I am a very lucky girl to be married to such a talented guy who loves to be used by God. If you want to hear the song just click here.

Intimate

words and lyrics by Bryan Thompson

You're intimate with me

Of all the places that the infinate could be.

Your embrace is like a flood

When pure Divinity collides with flesh and blood

CHORUS

The whole earth trembles

At your power and majesty

And all of the mountains, they bow down

And worship at Your feet

And You're here with me

Speechlessly I sing

So mysterious, so untame

That the ruler of the Cosmos would know my very name

Chills run through my flesh and bone

At the Surging Power of everything would call you as his own

CHORUS

We're intimate

We're intimate

We're initmate

We're intimate

CHORUS

Rants from Caffeinated Mom

I receive e-mail newsletters from various mom websites. A newest one that I just subscribed to really got me to thinking about the modern day mom. They title the left side of their newsletter "Today's Must-Have" I thought, "Um, really? Must HAVE?" So, I clicked on it and it took me to the picture you see. This hot pink bluetooth headset. I'm thinking this is a MUST HAVE? I guess I was expecting something to help me with my kids or some game for preschoolers, but a bluetooth headset? When have we as mom's gotten so ultra materialistic? Our kids have to wear Baby Gap or Gymboree because if your baby is wearing Target Circo, you just aren't cool enough. You get looks in the mall if you aren't pushing your baby in an ultra sleek posh stroller and of course it's really all about the diaper bag, right? I see those mom's in the play area look at each other's diaper bags in envy. (Mine is a Target Clearance item, thank you very much and I bet it stays cleaner than your Skip Hop because I don't care if I shove it in the washer. I only paid $9.99!) Then you pull out the baby bottle and they all look to see if you are sporting the new BPA free bottle or if you are going to be cheap. And the birp cloths? Why so fancy now? I love pretty things but ladies, the baby will THROW UP on it! There is no need to pay $39.99 for ONE personalized burp cloth. I mean, seriously? Just because I don't have my child in ballet or we don't go to a Little Gym class doesn't mean I am any less involved in the life and development of my kids. I'd rather invest in the heart and soul of my kids than the shoes on their feet.

Just a little rant from this Caffeinated Mom!