stacie's sacred space

a real perspective

these are the people that make today so happy.

i couldn't stop smiling when i read these sweet cards from my three big kids!

there perspective is real.

 

 

 

yes, i like a lot of food.

yes, my job is to be a mom.

yes, i must jump rope more than i thought i did.

yes, i help them when they need help.

yes, i'm good at cleaning even though i didn't think so.

yes, one of my favorite hobbies is getting exercise.

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sometimes i don't know the impact i make on this world so it's good to have today to be reminded.

i am the momma i am because i have a great moms who teach me lessons all the time.

i also have amazing friends who role model love only a momma can give to her children to help me on some of the best days and some of the hardest days too!

our nest

thank you, dave for taking a day off work to beautify the grounds of our home.

the pruning you did makes room for new growth.

the flowers you planted bring new life.

the fresh mulch you spread makes it all look cleaned up (or something like that!).

i love that dave helps me take such good care of 391 ... it's a good nest.

together

two parents, four kids, lots of activities.

we are pulled in a lot of directions, and we have to divide and conquer a lot.

i don't like it.

it's so much better when we get to be together.

today we got to be together watching joey playing lax.

beautiful, glorious sunday ... lazy morning at home, church, lax game.

it was awesome!!

and we'll return to normal life going our many different directions tomorrow.

boo! i miss my people when we separate.

separation that makes me ache.

it's life though. 

here we go, ready or not, we're jumping into another week!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

insta chi-town trip

chicago, i have missed you so much.

i didn't even realize it till i came back to see you!

i just figured out that i haven't been there since i ran the half marathon there in september 2003 with dad.

i think we're gonna be heading that way more often soon though since someone very special to us might call that big city home.

okay so lots of you who come here to read follow me on instagram too (and if you don't follow me there but want to i'm "dsjbowers").

it was different than the beach vaca we usually take in the spring.

these kids were troopers and enjoyed the change of scenery too!

one day we walked at least three miles for one of our outings.

we hit some touristy stuff instead of boutiques this time.

we swam more than we explored.

it's different with four kids in tow.

it was fun!

man, oh man, is it nice to leave our four walls.

i think we're fixin to do this more often even if it is just to stay in our tent one weekend a month throughout the nicer seasons.

full moon, holy week, and easter

i just learned in the last several years that the way the date of easter is determined is by the sunday that comes after the full moon that follows the spring equinox.

so i've enjoyed watching the full moon rising this holy week.

holy week is full of meaning ... jesus died to open the gates of heaven for us.

"he humbled himself, becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross." -philippians 2:8

it's so amazing to me!

and in the little reflection time i've had this week, i thought about how hard it is to watch someone you love die.

every time i went to stations of the cross this lent i was brought to tears.

it is both an extremely uncomfortable and painful prayer as well as an inspiring prayer that can bring me to peace.

i cannot believe how closely the end of dad's life aligned with the stations.

cancer was the cross dad had to carry.

dad was obedient to death too.

he carried his cross with dignity and love.

all of this to say i understand the seriousness of holy week and the easter holiday.

and you might not find me at all of the church services or masses this week, but if you were one of the eight kids who had their feet washed tonight in my home, you might know that i am connected to the holy one.

i pray that i may be an obedient servant as i walk, stumble, or even occasionally run on this earthly journey.

may you too find a little time to sit still and reflect this holy time of year.

if i was in charge

we would have more days off school.

so i can hang with my four favorite little people (who seem to be getting big right before my very eyes).

so i can sleep in till seven thirty or so.

so we can clean the house together.

so we can discover new places.

so we can love each other deeper.

so we can be silly and ridiculous and whine and laugh.

so we can march to the beat of our own drum more often!

i'm so happy it's spring break for johnny this week.

i'm so happy joey and janie are wrapping up q3 at school because q4 will fly and then it will be summer.

i do get to be in charge for summer time.

no homework, just housework ... no early mornings unless we're dying to catch a sunrise in one of our favorite spots ... summer goals and summer rewards ... a list of fun things and ordinary things we find beautiful year after year ... splashing ... growing ... bonding ... enjoying extra light and warmth.

that's my story today.

i'm sticking to it!

when we were off on friday for a teacher in service day, we headed into the city to hang at scioto audubon metropark.

it's awesome!! we'll definitely be back there soon.

it might just be our secret hide out for summer twenty12. i guess it wouldn't be a secret since i already told you though.

 

 

 

wow! thank you.

 

i can't believe how many people go out of their way to wish me happy birthday.

it's really nice.

i felt the love all day yesterday, well even a few days before.

and i'll get to feel it for a few more days, really because my favorite tradition is coming up on the ides of march.

you people got me donuts and sang to me, sent cards and texts, commented on my instagram feed, called me, sent greetings through facebook, and some of you even met me for ice cream even though we already left (oops! isn't that just how we roll, wendy?).

no matter what dave writes in a card or what the card says, it brings tears to my eyes. 

yesterday was no different.

it's a good life we have together.

he's amazing to me in so many ways.

all of this to say, thanks, my friends.

getting older isn't so bad.

for some reason twenty12 feels just right to me.

the awesome, the scary, the joy, the ordinary, the fear, the goals, the unplanned ... all of it.

even this gray, rainy day that i've been laid up with a junky cold.

it's not so bad since it followed a beautiful yesterday.

tuesday

i'm digging this day of the week.

even if it means early bedtime for me because my alarm is set for the dark, early hours of the morning tomorrow.

the rhythm of my tuesdays has drastically changed though.

i used to get to go to lunch hour centering prayer group.

i miss it and long for the day i'll be able to do it again though.

i often get to exercise on the bike path or around hoff woods while janie dances.

that rocks!

you wouldn't believe what that forty five minutes alone does for my soul.

today the song "perfect peace" by laura story brought me to tears.

maybe that's because i have been feeling way more of the lively chaos than the perfect peace.

it's a beautiful tune.

the other really awesome thing about tuesdays so far this year is that dave and i often get to date on this night.

we get to hang for two to three hours alone.

tonight we walked to jimmy v's.

i got to add five to my march mileage from that round trip.

we talk business a little, we laugh, we exhale, we just hang together.

together is the best place to be.

this is one reason i don't want spring and golf league to come.

the tuesday rhythm will change once again!

for now i'll squeeze every last drop of goodness out of my tuesdays.

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these two little j boys were playing dress up this morning while hanging in their fort.

i tried snapping some quick pics.

i was camera challenged ... they move quick and aren't patient with me and the camera long.

the glare on the glasses ... i don't know how to manage that very often.

i still have a pic of my dragon and astronaut though.

and i'll remember the days like this when the schedule is loosey goosey.

 

dreaming

 

i'm dreaming of a vacation to the ocean.

with my five favorite people.

as soon as possible.

to take morning walks.

to feel the warmth of the sun.

to make drip sand castles.

to run into the ocean and go out as far as joey wants to go.

to take pictures.

to look at that spot where i see heaven and earth colliding.

sometimes i have to dream it up in my mind just to get through another ordinary day.

maybe i need to listen to a gift from the sea by anne morrow again.

that book is awesome!!

it helps me to slow down, breathe a little deeper, connect with my soul, and remember who i really am in this fast paced culture we live in.

twenty two

1. we've lived in our house for exactly ten years today!

2. the longest i've ever lived at one address is fourteen years.

3. i am tired.

4. lent is the easiest time for me to practice self discipline.

5. i'm challenging myself like never before this year.

6. i felt great on my run today, and things hurt now.

7. i am proud of my kids for who they are and who they are becoming.

8. when i left "muffins with moms and misses" at johnny's school the sun rays shining down were gorgeous.

9. i felt the presence of God on that drive.

10. i thought a lot about my dad and heaven today.

11. i like all of the different things i hear about that people do during lent.

12. i need to get my beans and a bowl and a jar out so we can start that practice again this lent.

13. the kids get so excited that the easter bunny will turn those into jelly beans in 40 some days.

14. i realized today that my nephews next birthday (it was yesterday), he will be twenty one on the 21st. i like those birthdays.

15. it's the geeky and party girl mixture in me, i guess that makes me like the combination of celebrations and numbers.

16. we get to go to a wedding this weekend.

17. i can't wait to dress the kiddos up, and i have no clue what i'm wearing.

18. i don't make it out here as often as i would like to, but i do make it to instagram almost daily.

19. i had to force myself to take some deep breaths today.

20. i want to practice good habits each and every day during lent.

21. i'm off to a great start, and i need to get out of bed to go floss my teeth before i fall asleep.

22. i had the day off work today, and it was so nice to wake up at six instead of in the three o'clock hour.

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p.s. i loved reading this about lent.

i have heard people who don't believe in lent because jesus wouldn't want us to deprive ourselves. he sacrificed himself for us! that's enough.

and i've been asked whether or not this is just creating more guilt in my "house." uhhhh, i don't know, maybe.

the practice of lent has changed my soul and brings me closer to God every single year so i'm not going back. that's it!