This post is dedicated to updating all the notable things happening in my life...kind of to keep track myself. And this will not be in order of importance so let's not go there. :)
So...first of all I'm finding that I'm becoming quite the homemaker. I mean, the reality is that I grew up not having a clue how to do anything. Ok, not anything, but very few things regarding running/managing a well functioning home. Especially with kids. I was definitly not that babysitting, 'I love kids/can't wait to have my own' kind of girl. My mother didn't {and doesn't} actually cook much, so when I married a "real meal" man, I realized I better learn something in the kitchen or we'll be in trouble. So in our 6 1/2 years of marriage, I've learned to cook a bit....and I actually like it! I'm learning to love creativity in meals. Mainly thanks to the Food Network, and now thanks to http://www.pinterest.com/ for the great recipes. Learned to sew {basics}, breaking out the inner-crafty lady in me, {pinterest is playing a part in all of it lately} and obviously learned how to be a "kid" person. :) My girls make that one easy for me. Oh how they make me smile.
Before I continue...I need to give the glory where it's due...it's not for me, but to God. Somehow in the mix of everyday life, and babies, and wife-ing, God gave me the grace {and patience!} to learn these home-ec skills. I'm so grateful. We all are actually. My kids don't have to live off of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches {which we all love}, and my husband gets some sweet home cooked meals. And I....well, I get to eat good food and get the satisfying feeling of serving my family well, AND the fun feeling that "I made that!" :) Yesssss!
So I wanted to write about all of this because today I'm taking this a step further. I'm making my own laundry detergent!! I know it's nothing new and thrify mamas have been doing this for a long time, but today is my day. I have all the ingredients and it's making me all psyched up to do laundry! Anything to psych you up for laundry MUST be a good thing, hey?! It's gotta get done either way, might as well get some joy out of it!
Here's the deal on some Do It Yourself Laundry Detergent:
First you'll grate 1 full size bar of soap. I'm seeing people use any ole bar of soap.
Next, mix with 1 cup of Borax.
Now, mix 1 cup of washing soda. {I actually can't find that here in Mexico, so I'm substituting it with baking soda. Apparently it works differently, but it's just what I've got to work with.}
I also got some Mexican brand oxiclean {2 small containters} to throw in the mix. I heard washing soda is in oxiclean too, so maybe that'll make up for what I don't have.
Mix it well...keep in a bucket or some sort of container, and you only need 1 tablespoon per load! {2 scoops if it's a super dirty load.}
How easy is that?! And cheap! It comes out to less than a dollar per load. That is some sweet missionary thriftiness if I ever saw any.
Next cool thing happening... my baby girl is starting to walk! I can barely believe it. I say so often that time flies, and this is one of those things that reminds me how true it is. Olivia is actually doing things a bit later than her sisters did, which I think it turning out to be to my benefit. Once they walk, they're everywhere! And I can only handle my kids being everywhere, so much. She's absolutly our most cuddly child. Stella and Naya love a good hug and some cuddle time, but Olivia could just live in our arms 24/7.
We're trying to keep the balance of ministry work and family time in check. It seems that once you begin, it can suck all the energy right out of you. So as much as we're truly loving what God is doing at the Refuge, we're trying to not lose our sanity with all the work that needs to be done. We're learning to lean on the Lord daily for His guidance on what should be done. Learning to keep our priorities in line...God, family, ministry. Praise God, He has given us some amazing friends here in Ensenada. We came down knowing 1 family... our good friends, Sean and Trisha. Now 4 months later, we actually have a tight little community around us! God is so faithful.
Next notable thing in life is that in exactly 4 days from today {woah} I get to celebrate 30 years of life. I remember clearly thinking that 30 was really old when I was young. I mean, it just seemed SO far away. And suddenly it's here. 30 just showed up. I'm so grateful that God has given me this many years so far to enjoy my life...blessed with a truly amazing friend, companion and yes, lover. I know the lover part sounds kinda weird, but it's true. That will probably be the only time in my life that I write out that my husband is my "lover" so just let it be. And I also have the priviledge of having 3 wonderful little chicklets I get to call my daughters. I am so blessed.
Now because it's almost my birthday, it's almost CHRISTMAS!!! Who doesn't just love Christmas? Assuming you're not stressing out spending money you don't have on gifts that arent's needed....it's an awesome time to celebrate our Saviour Jesus being born on the earth! I'll admit that just a few years ago, while spending Christmas in Haiti, I had a mini meltdown because I felt we {Theo and I} weren't able to provide awesome gifts for all of our neices and nephews. It felt horrible. Thats when I realized I totally got sucked into the very thing I knew I didn't agree with. The thing that tell us that Christmas is all about the gifts and outward tradtional things rather than the real reason we celebrate Christmas. Thank God I snapped out of it. Now I get to teach my kids new ways to celebrate Christmas without the main focus being gifts. Now of course I still want to give my kids gifts...and I will. Just without me pulling my hair out to get them whatever the world tells me they have to have. This is where that inner crafty lady come out again. We'll see what I whip up for them this year. :)
I'm thinking those are about all the major things that are 'happenin' in my world right now. Until our next post...
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