Where Bloggers Create

If you are here via Karen Valentine's Where Bloggers Create party, http://www.mydesertcottage.com/, please click here to go directly to my studio tour: http://www.sharingdivineinspiration.blogspot.com/2012/07/where-bloggers-create-2012.html

God Has A Sense of Humor

I’ve heard it said that God has a sense of humor, and I agree completely.

First, He blessed my husband and me with quadruplets. They are 23 years old now, but this photo is way too cute not to post. Sadly, both my mom and dad passed away before my children were born. I had two doctors while I was expecting. One was named Lillian and the other James. Do you want to guess what my parents’ names were? Yep, Lillian and James. God does have a sense of humor, because I know that my parents were laughing when I gave birth to quadruplets. I wasn’t the easiest child. . .


Next, God chose to plant me here, in the country, on six acres of land. I grew up in a lake community where the homes were so close together we could talk to one another from our windows. Our property was so small is could be cut with one of those push mowers that doesn’t even have a motor. Actually, scissors probably would have been fine. Gardening is not my thing - - - so I told God.

He laughed and said, “I know the plans I have for you . . .”
I told God  I would do what He asked, but I could really use some help.  I told Him that I would plant if He would water. He laughed at that too.

So maybe someone out there reading my blog could help me. Do you like to water? No, only kidding.
This garden faces southeast. The hibiscus in the corner is doing really well, but the rest of the plants aren’t quite as happy. See that vent down low on the house? That’s the dryer vent. Plants don’t seem to care for it much.

The hibiscus is happy. Maybe a whole garden of hibiscus. See my orange snail in the window. Isn’t he cute?

The hibiscus is chock full of buds. I can’t wait until it blooms.
Even my potted plants aren’t so happy. The bear are going after the ants in the tree stump, so I may have to move this plant before it falls.

Then there is this garden. I have put a lot of sweat equity into this garden. Although it is on the east side of the house it is very shady because of all the trees. The myrtle is doing well and a couple of ferns, but that is about it. Oh, yes, the hostas were doing great also until the deer came along and ate them. There are lots of critters around here that like to eat what does seem to thrive.

Well, dear reader, do you think you can help me? Any and all advice and suggestions will be very much appreciated.

We’ve been living here for seventeen years, and I’m hearing God say, “Maybe you better get some help.”
He does have a sense of humor – doesn’t He?


 Love,                                                                                                        Terry

Please Pause and Pray Now

A fellow blogger needs your prayers. 

Kari from  http://www.newlywedsonabudget.net/  was hit by a drunk driver while she was out running. Several of her bones were broken. Would you pray for her complete recovery? Would you also visit her blog and leave some words of encouragement?  She is not blogging at this time, but her husband is leaving some updates, and her family is reading our comments to her.

I have never visited Kari's blog. Michelle, from Faith, Trust and a Little Pixie Dust - http://www.michellelunt.com/ - shared Kari's story with her readers. Thank you, Michelle. 

I am overwhelmed with the caring and support that you, my fellow bloggers, provide for one another. It is an honor to be a member of such an amazing caring community.

With love,
Terry       

An Easy Way to Be Happy

Being thankful is one of the easiest ways to live a happy life. Several years ago Oprah Winfrey introduced a wonderful book titled Simple Abundance by Sarah Ban Breathnach.

This book changed my life simply by the author's suggestion to write down five things everyday for which  I was thankful. 

Now, I was not unhappy at the time, but I did complain a lot. At the time the book came out I was a stay at home mom with four children - quadruplets - and I did moan and groan about my life. Then I read this book and I decided to keep a "Gratitude Journal."

I did use the one above, but I found that a simple notebook purchased at the food store was just perfect. 

I would sit down every morning with my coffee and list five things I was grateful for. I soon discovered that I had many more than five. I was making a longer list as time went on. 

I wrote:

Dear God, thank you for . . .

Soon I found that I was not complaining about my life, instead I was telling everyone how blessed and wonderful it was. My marriage was happier. My children were happier. I was happy!!!! And all it took were two little words - THANK YOU!

I still sit down every morning, with my coffee, and write down at least five blessings  for which I am abundantly grateful. I am a very happy person. I love my life! 

Go, do it now! Grab a piece of paper and a pen and write down 5 things you are thankful for. Then do it again tomorrow, and the day after that, and the day after that, etc. Watch how your life will change. 

Thank you for taking the time to read this post. I am thankful for you.  

A Little Bit About Me

I love reading the “About” section of everyone’s blogs. I love knowing a little bit about the person behind the blog. So, I thought I would periodically tell a little more about myself than what I have written in my “About” section.

This is me! I am 54 years old, happily married to Gary for 31 years, a special education teacher and a mother of 4.

 

These are my beautiful children. This was taken at their college graduation party a few weeks ago. Yes, all four of them graduated from college at the same time. They are quadruplets.

 From left to right: Meredith, Rick, Tracy and Shannon.

 

Here we all are shortly after they were born almost 24 years ago. My husband and I were functioning on very little sleep.

 

This was taken on their first birthday. I love this photo! It makes me smile every time I look at it.

 

My children are a gift from God that I am abundantly thankful for every single day. My husband and I were praying for children for four years. My doctor discovered that I was not ovulating regularly and suggested I take Clomid – a fertility medication. I took Clomid for four months and still no pregnancy. So, she said, “Let’s give Pergonal  - another fertility medication -  a try.” One shot of Pergonal and I was pregnant! I was so happy I was shouting it from the rooftops!

My precious little bundles arrived six weeks premature. The girls were healthy. My son developed an infants form of colitis called NEC, but fortunately he fought through it and won. Five weeks after they were born everyone came home.

It wasn’t easy, but I would do it all again in a heartbeat.

Love,                                                                                                        Terry

Where Bloggers Create 2012

Hi!  I’m Terry. Thank you for visiting my studio! Before I begin the tour I would like to thank Karen Valentine  at  http://www.mydesertcottage.com/ for hosting this wonderful blog party.

 

Welcome to my studio! My studio used to be my dining room, but a few years ago, when I was slowly taking over the room with my life, my husband asked me if I would like to have the room as my studio. Of course I said, “YES!” He has, since then, helped me to make it what it is today. Grab a cup of coffee or tea, and come on in.

 

This is the view from the doorway from the kitchen. You can see that the lighting is fantastic. I love that my studio is right off of my kitchen – nice and close to the coffee pot. It is also right next to my laundry room, which I also love because with a family of six my washer and dryer are almost constantly running.

 

I have two six-foot tables in my studio. One I use for my computer and writing work, and the other is for sewing, felting and various crafting.

 

I am a special education teacher. So my studio is where I research and write lesson plans. This table is also where I write my blog, prayers for http://www.guideposts.org/ourprayer/volunteer-us and reviews for amazon.com and for guideposts. I do love to write! In addition to reviewing books I want to write one of my own.

 

This fantastic peg board was a birthday gift from my husband this year. The peg boards are metal. He ordered four of them from www.homedepot.com/. These boards hold my circular knitting needles, my cookie cutters that I use for felting, my scissors, my gadgets, and some wire and tools that I use for a variety of crafting. The piece of furniture below the pegboard is the bottom of my dining room hutch. (We put the top in storage for now.) It is great for storing my books. I have lots of books. On top of the cabinet I keep my knitting needles, crochet hooks, thread and eye glasses (they are in the blue bowl). See the jar next to the picture frame? That is where I keep my CHOCOLATE!  

 

This darling picture was a Mother’s Day card from one of my daughters. I have 23 year old quadruplets – three girls and one boy.    They all live at home. At my house LOL means lots of laundry.

 

Okay, let’s face it, what goes really well with chocolate? Wine! Of course! My sister-in-law bought me that adorable bicycle wine rack for my birthday.

 

 My wine fridge. I keep chocolate in there too. Yep, it’s right here in my studio! My husband is actually looking into getting me a larger fridge for my wine and chocolate.  Now you know why I love that man.

 

This beautiful and very comfy chair was a gift from my sister. It used to belong to her. Would you believe she didn’t want it anymore? I drink my coffee in this chair every morning as I spend some quiet time with God. That basket down there next to the chair holds my devotionals, my Bible and my journal. I always have my first cup of coffee of the day with God.

My dress form, next to the chair, was a birthday gift from my husband a few years ago. Sorry ladies, I’m holding on tight to him.

 

My yarn stash! Actually, this is only some of it. I have a closet full of it too. One can never have too much yarn – or chocolate. I bought this storage unit at Home Depot. One of my daughters helped me put it together. Thank goodness she knew what she was doing. If I had been doing it on my own my husband would have come home to find me in tears.

 

This is just a little shelf that one of my daughters was going to throw away. I put it at the end of one of the six-foot tables for more books.

 

Here are my inspiration boards, rolling storage bins, and my wipe off calendar. See the cookie tin? My oldest sister lives in England. She brought that with her filled with butter cookies last September.

 

Oh yes, I am a “possibilitarian.” Are you? http://kellyraeroberts.blogspot.com/2012/06/possibilitarian-project-jo-packham.html#.T_UBRXCSpy4

 

This is the table where I do my needle felting. I like to knit and felt handbags and pillows and then needle felt a design on them. The cover photo for my blog is a pillow I made.

 

This is the chandelier that was originally my dining room chandelier. Now it is hanging over my computer station. It used to belong to my mother-in-law. I added the shades – to which I added fringe. I also added the crystal beads and the wisteria.

 

I perched two little birds into my chandelier. This is just one of them.

 

I stenciled these tea cups on the wall when the room was our dining room, but they still work.

 

My mother-in-law found the tea pot and cups at Cracker Barrel.

 

One final look around.

There is something else I do from this room.

 

Have you heard of http://www.alexslemonade.org/? Alex’s Lemonade Foundation is an organization that raises money for research for childhood cancer. I started The Lemonade Blanket Project to provide handmade blankets to children who have been impacted by childhood cancer. You can visit this link http://sharingdivineinspiration.blogspot.com/2012/05/lemonade-blanket-project.html or click on the Lemonade Blanket tab at the top of my blog for more information.

My goal is to provide the foundation with 50 (that is the number they asked for) handmade blankets a year. The foundation said that if I bless them with more than 50 blankets a year they will distribute them to children’s hospitals.

 

This is the door from my studio leading outside. It is a wonderful place to sit with a cup of coffee or glass of wine and knit and spend some more quiet time with God.

Thank you for visiting. Please come back soon. Bye.

Love,                                                                                                        Terry