Cultured Grace: Welcome to my Home

My life has been absolutely crazy as of late. The other day I told Paul, “I feel like the Lord thinks that the only way I will learn anything is by trial and error. I think I could do without that.” Of course, my ‘wise beyond his years’ husband clued me into the fact that everyone learns by this method. Every now and then I start wondering how much God needs me to change. I am starting to doubt his confidence in me. I know He loves me. Thank you Lord for your glorious love! But must I get lost every time I venture into Redding? With a screaming baby in the backseat? Who can’t breathe through her nose because she’s sick? And I’m wondering if she’s going to make it since I gave her ibuprofen instead of acetametaphen when she was running a fever. Apparently that isn’t ok. Oh yeah, and I won’t mention all of the juices I’ve had to throw out that I’ve made with my vitamix because I either make too much, or not sweet enough, or too bitter. Or I grind down apple seeds before doing my research and realize that apple seeds turn to cyanide in the human body. I’m still here. See? Trial and error. But it’s frustrating. It is so frustrating to dump out a jar of two day old juice because I couldn’t finish several quarts of kale. Thank the Lord, again, for my wonderful husband who says, “that’s life, babe.”
And I’m thinking, “Well, it’s not my life…because I do everything perfectly.” I get it. I know all these little places that need to be shaped, these things I will not let go. But I am working on it…that, or it’s literally being choked out of me by all of the mistakes I’ve been making.

I am so tired. Is it ok if I say that? I just moved several weeks ago, only one week after my entire family got slammed with the worse flu of my life. Now we are sick again. I’ve been so tempted on so many days to just curl up under my favorite quilt and weep because not only am I incredibly tired, but I am sad too. I miss Doni so much, there is an ache in my heart that just will not STOP. I was telling Paul yesterday as I mixed an egg in some tuna and tears were running down my face, sometimes the only thing to do is cry. It’s so simple, but it’s the truth. Nothing works except to stand over future tuna cakes and weep into them. In the midst of sadness Paul and I realized that we wanted to be in Sonora. Desperately and right away. But we came to Redding for a purpose. It was a time of great wishy washiness ('washiness' sounds like a word to me!) and there wasn’t a lot of peace. Then we moved into a new house where I really didn’t have peace because everything was white, blue, or brown. One thing that I have been doing to keep myself busy and happy is decorate my new home.

So come on in, to my home. I have peace here, and I hope you do too. It’s not mine, but it is for now, and I have just been relishing in it’s potential. Want some coffee? It’s on all the time around here, and each evening I scheme how I can and will give it up because I am beyond certain that incessant drinking of coffee is the reason I struggle with fatigue (and run on sentences, if I’m honest).

Have one of my mismatched mugs. When I moved to Redding I thought I was going to be in a fully furnished house so I literally brought two boxes of my own household things. I did bring my favorite thrift store finds. You want the “I love my dog” one, or the orange and white polka dots? Great! Watch out, it’s chipped in about ten places, but I won’t throw it out until it shatters. I’m faithful to my junk.

This is the kitchen. I sewed this curtain several months ago and never found a good use for it. Sometimes Joann’s has the yummiest fabric that even when it isn’t on sale, you have to have it. And make Pinterest inspired roman shades out of it. Am I right? I was so excited when it fit on this window. Especially because it was previously a yellow gingham plaid. That curtain folded up really nicely in a box under the counter. And there’s the Vitamix, my $125 thrift store find. She’s a dinosaur, but I love her.
I made a meal planning board because I am determined to be a meal planner. I am not a planner by nature but when you want to clean up your diet a bit like I do, it really isn’t an option. Everything takes forethought, so I gotta do it for survival’s sake. Nothing like a crafted white board to inspire someone, right? It beckons me with it’s cheery sunshine yellow, ‘what’s for dinner Summer?’

(It says "Give to us our daily bread")

Well, that’s enough of that.
I am going to be honest. This is the rest of the kitchen.

Any ideas on what I could do with it? As of right now I am planning on giving the cabinets another coat of shiny white, painting the cabinets on top a soft grey and adding mason jars for my glasses, and bright yellow plates. Where I put my food (over the washer) I was thinking of adding a valance….I hear Joann’s is having a sale.

YES, you should totally come with me, I could use an accountability partner.

I think the kitchen needs a bit more work to make it my home, but I love the beamed ceilings, and the blue countertops.

The dining room was my latest project. I wanted it to be about our family. I like looking at the kids. I like looking at their projects. I love hand painted things, hence the wall art that the kids made, and the flowers Grandma painted.

I wanted to put a verse up somewhere and asked Paul which one I should do, and he chose Joshua 1:9 so I went with it. Lots of fun to make. Just sit on the floor with the baby, cutting and gluing. I was cutting and gluing, not the baby. I needed some crafting in my life.
The kitchen table was already here and I greatly despise the chairs. Oh, you weren’t going to say anything? It’s ok, you really can’t offend me! I tried to dress it up with leftover fabric I had from an old project. And the flowers, you like them? My son picks me a giant handful every day and stuffs them into this jar. Pretty flowers on the table. Zero flowers in my backyard.

The living room is one of my favorite parts of the house. It’s so open and bright, thanks to the giant window that looks onto the backyard. The furniture was already here, but I had some Kohls cash that I used to buy some fluffy green pillows ($7 each, what a steal, right?), and this quilt comes everywhere with me. The gold curtains were mine as well, they’ve been up in every house we’ve lived in. When I bought them from Wal-mart I had to put them on a credit card because I couldn’t afford to spend $20 on curtains, and yet, I couldn’t live without them. Well, I probably could have but I just didn’t want to, and there’s the truth. You put skittles on a credit card one time? Well see, now I don’t feel so bad.

And this eco-friendly rug was crafted from recycled fabric and only $10 at Kohls. Another item I chose not to live without. I love it. It’s funky, and fun and apparently handmade by people who I hope earn a fair wage making them. I think it’s important. Yes, I remember you saying that you were deeply involved in social justice issues, that’s why I brought it up.

Ok, glad you stopped by. Leave your mug at the door please, it’s one of my favorites. But take some grapefruit with you, PLEASE. I have about 15 pounds of it growing on a tree in the backyard.

Oh yes, the kids are happy here. They play and laugh, and the only thing they would change is having Fifi a bit closer. I would change that too if I could! I’m sure you have to be going, and I really have to wash dishes since we no longer have a dishwasher. No, it’s not very fun, but I am slowly getting used to spending at least an hour a day washing dishes. No, I didn’t do the math. Thanks for informing me that I spend 30 hours each month washing dishes. What’s that? 360 hours a year? That’s it, you can leave now. I’ll just be here…doing dishes.
Thank you for caring about me. Thank you for loving me. Thank you for stopping by to see the new digs (why is that a saying?).

And come by, any time. I am still getting used to the place and could use some encouragement, some friends, and yes, someone to get some use out of the ‘ol polka dot mug because I use the dog one because it holds more coffee.
You want to give up coffee too? We should be accountability partners! Budget-fabric buying, non-coffee drinking accountability partners. I knew there was a reason you came by!
I hope you enjoyed your visit. Don’t forget your grapefruit. I packed you five grocery bags. I hope that’s enough.
Take a kid with you too.
Just kidding.
Well, you can take one, just bring them back at bedtime!

This is going to be a good season!

More:

My Bedroom first.