the patten8...is enough, for now

umm...hello? anybody there?

2012-02-07T10:28:00.000-08:00

i know. it's been a month. and i fully intended on keeping you up to date on the step by step process of painting our kitchen (a.k.a. "project #1). but alas life crept in and NOW (one babe is sleeping and the other is completely obliterating the family room) is the time i have to update you on where things are with the three "goals/dreams/ideas" i'm going after this year.

let's start with the kitchen. our kitchen has been boring white for eight long years until jan. 31, 2012. yep. that's the day our kitchen's wall color officially became "deepest aqua". take a peek.

everyone here at the patten residence loves seeing the new color which puts a big smile on this momma's face.

secondly...picture a day. i have taken pictures. every day? nope. almost every day? yep. some are more intentional than others. here's a peek at one that was VERY intentional.

{brotheres side by side eating popcorn and watchin' a movie}

and finally...running. boy oh boy! in many ways, it has been so good to get back on the road and run. and in many ways, it has been a big reminder of how out of shape this momma is. woo-wee. thankfully, i have a running partner who is very understanding and flexible. it took some time to figure out when to run because we have ALWAYS ran in the wee morning hours..before the sun...before our families would rise and shine. but with my precious and feisty baby boy who will sleep one night and then awake for two nights, it was hard for this momma to get out of bed. until now. now my running partner and i are hittin' the streets in the afternoon. and can i tell ya' somethin'? it's great! really. i have found my love for running again. i don't care if my body hurts. bring it. i would rather be running than not running. and as for races that we may or may not be training for. well...here's a few we're talkin' about.

this one.

(deep breath)

this one.

so there you have it, friends. that's where things stand, for now. next project (#2)...breezeway. and let me tell ya', we have our work cut out for us. wallpaper removal, painting, installing paneling, floor removal, installing new floor, and, oh, so much more. i'll be happy if we get the wallpaper off and the paint on. {wink}.

and an update wouldn't be an update (at least for this momma) without telling you about my heart and the work that has been going on in it through all of this. remember those verses i posted last month? the ones that inspired me to go after these three little ditties? well, it has come in handy many-a-day. i've realized how easy it is for me to let the things of this world drag me down/overwhelm me (i.e. referee-ing siblings, crying baby, tenacious toddler, school work, and the list goes on). thankfully, He brings me back to these truths and it gives me what i need to keep my head up and keep going. and i'm learning to take the time to be still. breathe. and be thankful. for everything (including the list above).

until next time...

better late than never...right?

2012-01-10T10:34:00.000-08:00

as i sat watching baby j play on the floor this morning, my mind started rabbit trailing hither, thither, and yon. somehow thinking about one of fred's neice's daughter's birthdays reminded me that we (the patten8) never celebrated q and kiki's "gotcha day" which was back in december. december 18th to be exact. on that day three years ago they officially became pattens.

here are a few pics to commemorate the day (in no particular order).

and some pictures that you don't see are the ones of us going to Big Boy for breakfast with fred's dad and sister. and the kiddos gathering around Big Boy for a photo op. it was a celebratory kind of day. {smile}

so...you may be asking yourself, "how could she forget a day like that? she's their mom for crying out loud!". bottom line is i'm not perfect (sorry for those of you who thought i was). if i could go back a few weeks and wake up with a great idea to celebrate their "gotcha day", i would. but i can't.

so we move forward and tonight at dinner we'll reminisce and have a celebration of how God brought them to us and we will celebrate q. and we will celebrate kiki. because they are worth celebrating, loving, learning, sacrificing - they are worth it.

and that, my dear friends, i would not change.

off and running...well, almost

2012-01-06T06:44:00.000-08:00

6 days into the year and i've charted a course for my goals/dreams/ideas that i mentioned here.

a picture a day...so far so good. here's a look-see. my two boys "playing" together. moses is working on sharing.

one project each month for the next twelve months. my husband is super-excited!!! (a wee bit of sarcasm in that sentence). {wink} we'll be starting with the kitchen walls. they are in desperate need of some color - "deepest aqua".

running...well, this week i walked five days and started strength training (sore quads make stairs a bear). next week i will be running with a goal in mind -which i may share with you once i've actually started training. {smile}

these are the fun things i get to wake up and think about every morning. sure, i still have to be a mom to my six and play referee, taxi, chef, diaper duty, baby food administrator, implenting "take a break", pay bills, etc. but here's what's different - my heart and my mind. instead of being consumed with what's right in front of me and feeling overwhelmed - i'm looking UP! to the One who will carry my burdens and fill me with His grace - daily.

Colossians 3:1-3
The Message (MSG)
So if you're serious about living this new resurrection life with Christ, act like it. Pursue the things over which Christ presides. Don't shuffle along, eyes to the ground, absorbed with the things right in front of you. Look up, and be alert to what is going on around Christ—that's where the action is. See things from his perspective.
Your old life is dead. Your new life, which is your real life—even though invisible to spectators—is with Christ in God. He is your life. When Christ (your real life, remember) shows up again on this earth, you'll show up, too—the real you, the glorious you. Meanwhile, be content with obscurity, like Christ. (italics mine)

hello 2012!

2012-01-03T06:54:00.000-08:00

wow! where has the time gone?

it's been A LONG time since i last sat down to type a post for this blog.

so many changes. so much life. and now the beginning of a new year!

when i look back at 2011 i feel overwhelmed. don't get me wrong, so many good things happened. and we saw the hand of God in our lives so many times. BUT in many ways it was one of the hardest years (not complaining, just stating the fact).

SO...

this year is going to be different. i can feel it. this year is going to be a year of creativity. to be creative. something i haven't had the time or energy for the past 12 months. but i do now.

a few ways i'm hoping this may play out:

1) journaling a picture every day. no matter what. i've seen some daily picture blogs and it's pretty cool to look back over the course of a year and see all that has taken place.

2) next week marks my 15th wedding anniversary to fred. and i had an idea that instead of getting each other a gift or going someplace nice, we would take this next year and work on one project together each month. sound challenging? yep. but here's the thing. we've lived in the same house for 8 years and we've kinda just let it go because of no time, no energy, no money, or no motivation. well, we've not fallen into a lot of dough but i do feel like i've got the motivation, energy and with help from the kiddos - time. and we'll be working together...that's romantic, right?!? {smile}

3) running. that may not seem creative to you, it is to me. i NEED running. it is almost like breathing to me and i don't realize how much i miss it until i'm not doing it.

okay.

i've got my work cut out for me. thankfully, there is One greater than me who will give me the grace to accomplish or not accomplish these goals/dreams/ideas because He loves me. and really. that's all i need to know. cling to. and abide in this year.

starting over

2010-02-13T13:07:00.000-08:00

well...
here's to a new start.

i was trying to change my background
and instead ended up
starting over.

and...
i'm okay
with that.