Latest Posts

thankful thursday.

Published by Aubrey

Source: flickr.com via lindsey on Pinterest

We are going for another round of thankful thursday because I so enjoyed last week and there is so much to be thankful for!

a family that laughs a lot. we don’t take a ourselves too seriously and that’s a good thing
a husband that loves to be home with his family
starburst jelly beans
a surprising productive afternoon yesterday
a quiet evening to sew
a big yard with a fire pit to invite neighbor friends over to
new running shoes
friends near and far that pray for me
a husband that makes me coffee every morning
a morning to run errands alone

I am thankful Easter is more than eggs and jelly beans. I am thankful I know the true meaning of this glorious day. May our hearts be prepared to celebrate what He has done for us!

no where.

Published by Aubrey

flickr photo credit

He is there.

When you wake up early to have some alone time. He is there.

When you wake up late and running around like a crazy person, shouting commands and spilling coffee. He is there.

In the mundane daily tasks of cleaning up the kitchen, doing laundry and making another PB&J. He is there.

In the midst of a disagreement with a spouse. He is there.

At your highest high He is rejoicing with you.

In your lowest low He is holding you.

There is no where He isn’t.

He is working with purpose in your life.

So why not join Him?

The place I call home is full of memories, it’s full of my family and it’s comfortable. There is a sigh of peace and relief when I walk through the door. It is safe. Even though I haven’t lived in that home for over 10 years, there is something about leaving. Each time I leave there is a an ache in my heart. It doesn’t last as long as it used to because I have my own home to go back to. Filled with my own family and memories. But the ache still comes just for a bit. The ache doesn’t make me sad but thankful. I am thankful I have a home to go back to that I long to visit. I am thankful to bring my family there to experience that same richness. I am thankful that there are many, many good memories that fill that home.

My prayer is that our kids will have the same feelings of home when they leave one day. That home will be a safe, comfortable place to return to. A place filled with love and encouragement. A place where they can be themselves.

I realize that it isn’t the “home” itself that makes those feelings well up inside of me but the people who created the home. My parents and grandparents created this. I pray it will continue with us.

5 on friday.

Published by Aubrey

1. So I’m pretty sure everyone and their mom and has read and now seen the Hunger Games. Everyone except me that is. Thinking about jumping on the bandwagon and seeing what all the hype is about. Is it really that good? Really? Sidenote: Listening to the soundtrack right now for inspiration. We shall see.

2. Growing up in Ohio I am a OSU fan. Yes, I went to OU but if you are from Ohio, no matter what school you graduated from you are a Buckeye fan. I am so excited to be “home” (my parents home that is) for the Ohio State game tomorrow night! I love watching Ohio sporting events with me family. It’s a little intense and oh so fun. Searching pinterest for a cheesy appetizer to munch on during the game. It’s a must have.

3. So it’s spring break in Indiana. Pretty much everyone heads south or somewhere other than here. Not us. Next week we have plans for parks, picnics, zoo and possibly a local creamery where you can milk a cow and drink amazing chocolate milk. Sounds good to me.

4. Warning: Bragging parent ahead.
Mason came home from school yesterday proudly announcing (jumping up and down, loudly yelling) that he is the Star Student of the month. The certificate said he got it for being respectful. I love this because this is something we specifically pray for each day as he heads out the door. It’s cool for Mase to see God faithfully answering prayers in his own life.
This week for the first time both girls wrote their name on their own and it was readable. Wow, we’ve been working on this for awhile and we have had a break through! Big smiles all around.

5. And last pictures from my travels to Texas to visit Julie and her family. What a wonderful time we had! Lots of laughs, lots of conversations, most left unfinished but that is okay. Lots of playing and lots of laundry! There is nothing like being with a friend who knows you so well. Thanks Julz and boys for hosting me.

thankful thursday.

Published by Aubrey

Here’s a blast from the past. Every Thursday I used to list what I was thankful for. Today I am reinstating Thankful Thursday…

last Friday we had a date night (picture above). We had a wonderful time and ate a-maz-ing food! I am thankful for a husband that listens to me, helps me dream, encourages and refreshes me and makes me laugh. Loved spending time with my man. Time well spent goes a long with me.
this amazing goodness I was introduced to called Speculoos found at Trader Joes. I pretty much want to dip everything into it. Or just eat it by the spoonful.
an early morning run cleared my head and heart. Just what I needed to start my day.
my girls singing Chris Tomlin’s Our God (very loudly) while I read my bible and ate my oatmeal this morning. My girls love Jesus.
helping Mason pick out his outfit for a lunch date with the principal today for good behavior. He was so proud. And me too.
getting to see and hear about God moving in people’s lives. People that I have been praying for for a long time.
spring break starts tomorrow. Thankful for the extended family time that is soon to come.
being close to family that we can go to birthday parties and celebrate with them. Traveling to Ohio for our nephew’s 5th birthday party. Ready to jump around at Pump it Up!
yummy vanilla powder from Coffee Bean that was brought by our friend Dan when he visited. I’m enjoying a warm vanilla latte right now. Coffee Bean was my fave when we lived in California.

There is much to be thankful for.

let’s laugh.

Published by Aubrey

I love this. I want this attitude. I know I am not there. Maybe on good days but not always. This is my prayer as a constant attitude. I pray that this is what others would see in me. I love the thought of laughing with out fear of the future. To have my hope and confidence set on Him. No fear. But a smile, even a laugh of what is to come. Even when I don’t know. Oh, now that is trust!

Will you join me in laughing?

Source: tumblr.com via Aubrey on Pinterest

fill ‘er up!

Published by Aubrey

In my 5 1/2 years of being a mom I am happy to say there are a few things I have figured out. Not that I do these things well all of the time but it isn’t a point of confusion or mystery to me anymore. One of these things is how to help my kids be emotionally full and content. I look at it like they have gas tanks inside their little beings that need to be filled up each and every day. If/when I take time to engage them by getting on the floor and playing with them, imagining with them, talking, listening, asking questions, speaking truth to them, encouraging them praying with them etc. their cups get filled, they overflow. When I take a chunk of uninterrupted time to give them my full attention, give them eye contact their tanks go to overflowing. And I see a difference. They are satisfied and content, they treat others with kindness, they have joy and are more content to play by themselves. But when I try to put a drop in here, a drop in there in the midst of checking email, making phone calls and doing laundry it doesn’t work as well. I’ve learned that when those tanks get low or empty it is not pretty. Things go badly quickly. I ultimately want them to find their full satisfaction and contentment in Jesus. My desire is for them to be overflowing with Him. But in the mean time my prayer is that along with building my relationship and having fun with my sweet little kidders I will point them to Jesus.

I have not mastered this by any means. It is a continual balance of filling myself first with His Spirit so I can then fill them up and point them in the right direction. If my tank is not overflowing I surely I cannot fill anyone else’s. It takes discipline to put my kids needs before meaningless busyness “when I just don’t feel like playing Star Wars or babies” one more time. But as their mom I am called to lead them, build them up and pour into them. Even when I don’t feel like it, or when it’s not convenient my desire is to “fill ‘er up”!

(repost from 11/29/10)

Linking up with…

just a peek.

Published by Aubrey

Sometimes I think its fun to take a peek into each others real worlds. We “read” all about each other often but we don’t often get to “see” that we all are normal people doing normal things each and every day. So today here is a peek into what my morning was looking like.

Although we got off to a little rough start. Soon enough all 3 kids were cuddling together on the couch.

Laundry was started rather quickly.

Our menu for the week that is displayed on our pantry door. I may or may not stick to it, the week will tell. But at least I have an idea.

I found a little motivation to decorate for Easter this weekend. Going with minimal this year.

This is the girls closet. Every morning they are pointing to the dress they want to wear for the day. Pants are never a request. Why don’t I put their dresses where they can reach them?

This is my favorite wall in our home as of right now. I love the colors, the pictures, the whole bit.

Pile of sewing stuff on our bedroom floor. I have not worked on the girls quilt for awhile. Plans for a craft night this week will give me opportunity to start once again.

Oh, look more laundry on the bed. Sigh.

And last, my view right now.

Just normal, everyday life here today that I am so blessed to have.
How about you? What’s going on at your house today?

5 on friday.

Published by Aubrey

1. A couple weeks ago the girls had a neighbor friend over for a playdate. It was their first time having a friend over with out the mommy staying. So it was a BIG deal. They loved that they were getting to do something like big brother. The 3 girls got along so well. They had so much fun together. Here is a picture of the 3 little princesses.

2. Tomorrow I am running in a local half marathon. I wasn’t planning on it but I got a free spot so it was hard to pass up. Good for the marathon training! As long as it isn’t thunderstorms (40% chance) I think it will be a great race. So if you are a local and see a bunch runners tomorrow morning running around look for me!

3. Last week Mase took on his first job. He got a new wallet and wanted some money to put in it. Smart boy. Don’t we all? He bravely went over to our neighbors and asked if he could pick up their sticks. After 1 1/2 hours of hard work he earned $10! I was so proud of him for taking the initiative to find a job and for completing it all by himself. Watch out world, Mase is on the prowl to make some money! Next up, lemonade stand.

4. Tonight we have a date night! We are not ones to have date nights scheduled on a regular basis. We just aren’t in the season of life to be able to do that. We’ve accepted that. So when it does happen we take full advantage of it and truly appreciate it! Tonight I am looking forward to some yummy food and uninterrupted convo with Mr. Barela.

5. As I have mentioned before our friends Jenni and Andy are traveling to South Africa for a 2 week missions trip. They will be working with AIDS orphans. Today she hosted some friends and their kids to make cards to take with her and share with the kids they will meet in S. Africa. I am really excited to be able share in yet another way of their trip. And have the kids involved. Someday I would like to able to do something similar. For now I am vicariously living through Jenni!

It’s a hard job.

Published by Aubrey

photo credit

The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love. Psalm 103:8

I read this verse and it seems pretty much impossible to carry this out as a mom. Oh, I would like to say that I do this day in, day out. But I don’t.

The endless questions, the repeating of the same phrases over and over and over again, the spilled juice on the newly mopped floor, the endless stuff laying around, the complaining, the yelling, the drama, the “too cool for school” attitude.

Yes, it all gets to me from time to time. And I forget what I am called to do. To be a mom is a high calling. It is a blessing. It is hard. If I am honest I don’t treat God that much different than my kids treat me at times. I complain. I yell. I mess up and he graciously points me to His truth again and again and again. I can be drama and put off the attitude that I am “too cool for school”. But how does he respond?

With compassion, grace, slow to anger, abounding in love.

He’s called me to do the same with those He’s entrusted me with. Even on the hard days.

Because that’s when we both need it most.