One Less...

Can you hear the crickets chirping on my blog? :) It's been pretty quiet around here lately. Not many blog posts. I've been filling my time with lots of good worship, painting/decorating my kitchen, and shopping on craigslist... :) So, my post today is about two "one less" things. :) I have one less boring/beige room in my house. And I posted a video from Matthew West, "One Less" about orphans...

Here's a before picture of the kitchen table area. Bland and unexciting. Nothing to please the eye, or make me want to linger there. :)

I had an image in mind of what I wanted in the space, but wasn't inspired, and didn't have money saved to do anything. But after a friend mentioned that she couldn't seat her family of 5 around her dinky kitchen table, the wheels started turning in my head to give her my table and shop for a table better suited for my space. :) So, I finally dedicated some money to the project by selling something else on craigslist, and started watching for deals.

It took me about 8 different shades of blue/green samples to match and find just the perfect shade... but after I painted, the whole project took shape. :)

Here is the 'almost finished' shot with too much light from the morning sun, but ahh, what a great place for lingering quiet times, coffee, and blogging!. :) I'll try to remember to post an actual 'finished' shot after I paint the set, with better light, and all of the roman shades pulled to exactly the same height (that bothers me... but not enough to put my coffee down and take a new pic). :)

I found this table, 6 chairs, and buffet table on craigslist ($95 for ALL of it), and splurged and bought a bench at wal*lly world, that you can't see because it's behind the table (my kids were sad at the thought of giving away their old beloved bench where they can pester one another/hug on each other while eating). My plan is to paint the table and chairs black, and do something different to the buffet. Maybe something crazy like a bold green or maybe cream underneath silverleaf... what do you think?

I sewed the curtain panels out of fabric that I got at 40% off at Hobby Lobby with a coupon and my birthday money, and I got a steal of a deal at Be* Ba* and Be*... with coupons. Did anyone else know that you can use expired coupons there? A friend told me about that, so I headed over with 4 coupons for the 4 roman shades that I wanted and sheepishly checked with a sales associate. Apparently, if you have the mailed coupons, they'll take them, no matter what the date! So, I saved $5 on EACH of the shades, that were already marked down 50%!

It's funny, but I'm excited to sit in my kitchen now. It's calming, pretty, soothing, AND it didn't break the bank. Now, I just need to get to painting the table set. :) And, I'm loving that with the shades down, I can still see out and watch my boys on the swingset, without sun in my eyes.

My garage, ready to get stinky with paint. And, Brandi's table, that I'll have to re-tackle after it gets warm again... I learned a thing or two from my failed attempts at spraying her table with lacquer...

And, the nearly finished product (with photography/lighting skills that leave something to be desired). :)
Now I just need to figure out what color to do the little buffet table that I use for my laptop.

On the adoption front: We have updated employment letters sent off to the secretary of state for apostille (again!)! My heart is HUNGRY for my daughter! Not in the 'fi-fi-fo-fum' way :) but in the aching, longing, need-to-hold-you-and-love-on-you-in-person-been-waiting-on-you-all-my-life kind of way. I'm wearing my 'Man Up. Protect and love the fatherless.' T-shirt from the Alsworth's fundraiser as I type this. Game on, people. :)

I saw this video and knew I needed to post it and share it here with you.

One Less by Matthew West (The Story Behind The Song) from emicmg on Vimeo


I think I might submit my project in this blog party:

2 years and counting...

August 26th was our two year anniversary of starting the adoption process! I've been thinking about it all week. Asking God for a scripture and some word from Him on this whole situation that has been SO interesting... :)

The scripture I felt led to was:

Philippians 1:3-6 (The Message)

A Love That Will Grow

Every time you cross my mind, I break out in exclamations of thanks to God. Each exclamation is a trigger to prayer. I find myself praying for you with a glad heart. I am so pleased that you have continued on in this with us, believing and proclaiming God's Message, from the day you heard it right up to the present. There has never been the slightest doubt in my mind that the God who started this great work in you would keep at it and bring it to a flourishing finish on the very day Christ Jesus appears.

God is accomplishing a LOT through this adoption process, and thankfully, He will complete it... Lots of refining in me. Lots of heart work in us as a family. Lots of ups, and lots of downs. If you had told me two years ago, that I'd still be sitting here, without my daughter, I KNOW I would have cried. Hard. And, I will admit I've been a little emotionally off kilter this week... a bit of grief that I'm still waiting, and still haven't met her yet... but just like that scripture says- every time she crosses my mind- I break out in exclamations to God. :) We're still waiting on you, peanut!!!

Thankfully, part of what God is working in me through the job loss situation, is to let go. I had thought that I had 'let go' of everything regarding this process... except for the finances. I was a financial tightwad and it was not healthy for the family... When we got our first paycheck from this new job (that did NOT involve a $700/month commute like the job over the summer! Hallelujah!), I let out a big sigh of relief. God provided. And God provided sooo well. Hubby came home this week and said that he is so fulfilled and challenged in this job. So, in celebration of us staying in our house, and not being a tightwad- I made some curtains, and we're finally going to paint! :)

Another special thing about the 2 year anniversary this week is that we went to our annual India Fest here in Tulsa. It was wonderful, the food was great, and the boys loved it. They took a rickshaw ride, I got henna on my hand, and I loved that the theme was Indian weddings! Such beautiful colors and textures!

Happy 2 years of waiting, everyone! Thanks for walking us through this process, bloggy friends. Here's a pic of my henna'd hand up against my new curtains!

Aarti's Paarti- Awesome Indian Food

I've been watching the Food Network Star for the summer and ever since the first show, had my favorite contestant. Her name is Aarti. She has a really interesting background and a delightful personality on camera- but I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE that she's out there putting Indian recipes in the forefront- and making traditional foods with an Indian twist. I already cook Indian probably once every week or two, but I'm so excited after reading some of her recipes and seeing her videos on vimeo. The finale of FNS is this Sunday and I'm rooting for her to win. I'm already excited about recording and saving her shows on my DVR. :) She's also a believer- and shares her faith so beautifully on her blog. Such an encouragement. I pray that she's able to be a light to those in the food/tv industry.

Here are some links to some recipes that I can't wait to try:

Baked Samosas: These excite me to try because samosas are amazingly wonderful crazy-cheap treats that I used to eat on train trips across India, and from a local tea stall around the corner from where we lived. They are simple, hot, flaky, and are almost like comfort food, Indian style. It's been something I've actually missed about India because they have always seemed complicated- and I don't want to fry up a large vat of oil to make them... AND- in India, they're SO cheap (think pennies, maybe nickels)- but here it's like $3.00 for one or two at my favorite Indian restaurant.

Tandoori Chicken: I have tried similiar recipes- but based upon everyone's reaction to her cooking on the show, I'm going to try hers. :)

Ok- outta time. My little has been sleeping for 3 hours... If I don't get off the computer and wake him, it's going to be a very, very long night for all of us... :)

Fun deals and such

OK- no big cerebral or spiritual lessons for me to type about today, just some fun deals to share with my bloggie friends...

I did a big shopping trip online at CBD (Christian Book Distributors) and used a free shipping code: 313114TS (Free Shipping w/purchase of $35 or more. exp. 9/10/2010). I landed there because I was looking for decently priced kids worship dvds but ended up spending most of the $35 on other random fun clearance items... And, know that they have more than Christian Books on this site...

I wanted to list a few of the clearance items here, because they're so cute, fun and CHEAP! You should check them out: :)

#1 Favorite: Emeril's there's a chef in my world (Worldwide recipes for kids!)- $2.99. It has neat info for kids and lists different recipes from a lot of different countries... This sucker is also 210 pages long! So much in it!

#2 Favorite (for you adoptive moms of Indian kiddos): Cherry Tree by Ruskin Bond- $1.99 a cute short paperback story about a 6 year old Indian girl and her grandpa in the hills of India who plant a cherry seed. Ruskin Bond is an author who has lived in India for years and years and written many books on/about India. He lives in Mussoorie (the city in the foothills of the Himalayas where we lived). Kinda wish I'd taken the initiative and tried to meet him...

#3 Favorite: One Special Me: A book celebrating how God makes us special- $3.99 This is a really cute board book with flaps that lift and curly hair to touch, and things to spin, that tells a great story (with scripture at the end) about how we're all different, praises uniqueness and how it makes us special. Features kids of different skin tones, heights, kids with glasses, different colored eyes, etc.

#4 Favorite: The Spirit of Adoption: At home in God's family. $2.99 Haven't read it yet- but it looks to be an interesting read on the scriptural basis for adoption, and God as the adopter. :)

#5 Favorite: Let's go on a mommy date, by Karen Kingsbury. $2.99 This is a cute book about how mommy loves to be with and play with her kids. :)

 

#6 Favorite: Big Racing Car: GIANT board book $.50 (yes, .50!) This is a huge, colorful, board book and would be fun for a little dude to look at. :)

 

Anyway- they have so many fun things on clearance that it's easy to spend $35 so you don't have to pay shipping... I also bought a few worship DVDs for me, and one for the kids.
 

We also went on our 11th Anniversary date this weekend. We were able to go on a fancy dinner date! And, we're also celebrating God opening up the job for us by having a big BBQ at our house on Sunday. So, if you're within driving distance of Tulsa and want to come, let me know! :)