In my defense.

I got a ton of feedback on the post about the dumpster inside my car.

Many of you could relate and were stoked that my car exists to prove that you don't have the dirtiest car in the world.

But some of you broke out into hives upon seeing my mess.
Some of you have insisted on texting me each day to see if I have yet to clean out my car.
Some of you considered conducting an intervention.

I get it, people. It ain't pretty. It's a mess.
You've worn me down.
But today I'm fighting back.

Did you know that my car is the opposite of how the rest of my life looks?
Did you know that I have a labelmaker?
Did you know that my house is almost always neat and well-organized and if it's not, my insides don't feel good?
Did you know that my pantry is labeled?
Did you know the books in my room are organized by genre?
Did you know I have a perfectly organized gift/wrapping paper closet?

So there. And now I need an apology from many of you. I don't mean to name names but I'd specifically like apologies from Denise, Megan, and Jennifer M.

p.s. No, I have not yet cleaned out my car.

Recipe Wednesday: Ice Cream Sandwich Dessert

This recipe is really hard. And extremely healthy. Are you ready? Can you handle it? Here goes.

Ingredients:
A whole bunch of ice cream sandwiches
Cool Whip

Directions:
1. Put a layer of ice cream sandwiches in the bottom of your dessert dish.
2. Add a layer of Cool Whip.
3. Add another layer of ice cream sandwiches.
4. Add another layer of Cool Whip.

I first tasted this dessert at Wes and Rachel Church's house. Yummy!

I don't mean to brag.....

....but I am prepared.

What!?!? You think my car is messy? Nonsense. I'm just extremely prepared. For anything. And everything. You wish you were as prepared as I am. Don't be jealous.


Craving an old 6-piece McNugget meal with dried up fries and rancid apple juice? I've got you covered.



In the mood to hang up a bunch of stuff and stick it in a bucket? I'm your girl.

I am awesome. And always prepared. I'm kind of like an Eagle Scout.


p.s. Did you know that nuggets are capable of getting as hard as an actual rock? I learned that today.

Handsome.

My Story

When I became pregnant with my oldest child, Landon (now 6-years-old), I was a teacher. I knew once he was born, I wanted to be a stay-at-home mom, but my heart didn't want to think about how much I would miss teaching.

Landon was born in April of 2005.

I had a hard labor and delivery. My tailbone was broken in delivery. He was an extra large baby. I almost dropped him the first time I held him and I felt like a failure.

When he was 6 weeks old, I went back to work to finish out the last 2 weeks of the school year with my students. I sobbed as I hugged each child on the last day.

Landon began sleeping through the night at 7 weeks. He took looong naps each day. He was a very easy baby. In fact, I was bored.

When Landon was 4 months old, we moved to a different house.

When Landon was 4 months old, my milk supply instantly went away.

When Landon was 4 months old, a new school year began and I was no longer a public school teacher. I was a stay-at-home mom.

When Landon was 4 months old, I told my husband I hated my life. I told him I hated being married to him. Then I locked myself in a bathroom, got in the fetal position, and rocked back and forth.

When Landon was 4 months old, my husband drove me to my doctor and I was diagnosed with Postpartum Depression.

When my story is written out like this, I'm sure you can see the pattern of immediate changes, both biological and circumstantial that led to my struggle with PPD.

Praise the Lord for a quick recovery, for changing my heart, and for a logical husband who did not handle my yelling at him with anger, but knew that I needed help.

I am quick to tell my story. I'm not embarrassed by it. Because I know there are lots of mommas who are or will struggle with depression.

Moms need prayer. It's a hard job. Whether you work inside the home, outside the home, or both, know that I am praying for you. I may not know your name, but because of my story, mommas everywhere are constantly on my heart. And I serve a God who is really smart. He knows your name and He hears my prayers for you. He created you with a purpose and He loves you more than you can fathom.

Recipe Wednesday: Chicken Casserole

This is my grandmother's recipe and it's my favorite.

Ingredients:
7 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
8 oz. sour cream
2 cans cream of chicken
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 stick butter
1 sleeve Ritz crackers plus 8 more

Directions:
Boil, cool, and cut chicken into small pieces.
Place chicken in 9 x 13 casserole dish.
Mix together sour cream, cream of chicken, and chicken broth.
Pour over chicken.
Mix melted butter and Ritz crackers. Put on top of casserole.
Bake 1 hour at 350 degrees.

I cooked this for my family last night along with spicy sweet potato fries, macaroni and cheese, and sauteed zucchini. Yummy!

To Do Lists

I think "To Do" lists are a good thing. I think having a plan is thoughtful and helps promote peace in the workplace, in organizations, and in the family.

But clinging to a plan too tightly can lead to:

1. Guilt (when the plan isn't completed) and
2. Missed opportunities (when an interruption occurs but you ignore it)

There have been many, many times when I've written a To Do List and at the end of the day, less than half of the items have been checked off. I feel like a failure. GUILT.

And there have also been days when I've let no one and nothing stop me from getting my list completed. Even if one of my children asked me to play outside. Even if my husband asked me to sit with him on the couch. I told them "no" and kept on going 100 mph trying to get everything done. MISSED OPPORTUNITIES.

But here's the thing: When I think back on the days I felt guilty for not getting my list completed, when I go over every aspect of my day, I realize THOSE were the days that I got the MOST accomplished. It might not be a physical change. My house might still look like a warzone. But maybe because Reagan and I spent 30 uninterrupted minutes on the floor talking about books and the color pink and God and string cheese and her freckles and dance and castles and soccer, her heart is full.

And just this week, this truth hit me like a ton of bricks: What might seem like an interruption to ME, may have actually been on someone ELSE'S "To Do" list. When I was a classroom teacher, there were a handful of times when MY "To Do" list included unloading to my boss about my very hard day. I would walk into her office at the end of a long day and spend 15-20 minutes just talking (sometimes crying) about the challenges of my day. That certainly wasn't on her list of things to do. But she embraced the interruption, listened, talked, and comforted me.

One day last week, instead of making a "To Do" list, I made a list of every single thing I did. At the end of the day is was over two pages long. It was a simple exercise, but a great reminder that a lot gets done over the course of a day, even if it is unexpected. And even if it's not something you can see.

What's on your list? And how do you handle the interruptions?

Maybe you have an employee who's in pain. You have a project due but maybe she needs a listening ear more than you need to finish that project.

Maybe you have a roommate who needs help studying for a test. Shopping is on your list of things to do, but maybe helping her study tonight is what really matters.

Maybe your lesson plan book is perfectly typed up and filled in for the remainder of the year. But your students don't understand what you taught yesterday. Maybe your students need you to teach them more than you need to teach the lesson plan.

Maybe your child wants you to read Brown Bear, Brown Bear for the 45th time in a row. It might not have been on YOUR list, but it was on HERS.

Maybe your husband needs some quality time with you. And maybe quality time for you means, "Please hang this heavy mirror" but for him it might mean something else.

Make a plan. Make a good plan. One that really matters. One that is not only filled with doing STUFF, but also filled with loving and encouraging others.

And make the most of the interruptions. Because just because it wasn't on YOUR list, doesn't mean it wasn't on THEIRS.

"Wherever you are, be all there. Live to the hilt every situation you believe to be the will of God." -Jim Elliot