Coco and the Sunflower...

That moment...

When all you want...

Is a good picture of your dog

the perfect sunflower and your milk can...

And then you realize...this is as good as it is going to get!

Women who Inspire Me : Debbie

There are so many women who encourage me, speak wisdom and love into my soul. These women model the scripture found in Titus 2:3-5 and they make me want to run towards the love of the Father. I have decided to begin to share about the inspiration that they bring into my life, so that we may all be able to take the bits of wisdom that they contribute to this often dark world and bring light to it.

Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. ⁴ Then they can urge the younger women to love their husbands and children, ⁵ to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God. Titus 2:3-5

I remember the first time that I saw "Mrs. Debbie" as I affectionately call her.  We had just begun attending the church that we were considering joining and we were invited to our Pastor's home for "Life Group". I had never attended a "Life Group" , I had attended Sunday School, worship service , Bible Fellowship Group and Training Union back in the day, but "Life Group" was a new term in my vocabulary.  Anyway, there was Mrs. Debbie, climbing out of her sporty red Volvo wearing leopard printed pants.  I looked at my children in the back seat and said "Please , please , please be on your best behavior and please don't embarrass your Dad and I!" Thankfully, our Pastor also has kids and "gets it" and the kids were immediately rushed upstairs and we did not see them for the rest of the evening until we had to pry them down.

Little did I know, that God had a plan in store for me and the lady who loves the color red. I had prayed many many prayers for older women who would speak love and wisdom into my life. My mother is awesome and amazing, but I needed an outsider per se.  Someone who also loves Jesus, her husband and encourages me to continue to love Jesus in the hard and difficult times of my life.

We met at our Pastor's home for 6 weeks and her husband, Jim quickly bonded with my husband. Spunky began going to their home for monthly meetings of what I call "The Big Burly Men's Club". It's really not a club, but I know that my husband would refuse to drive my VW to these meetings and insisted on driving his truck and wearing boots. He would come home later smelling of campfire smoke and with a big smile on his face.  Jim was able to draw him in with his tales of playing in the NFL and his hunting stories. Apparently, this "No Girls allowed club" is actually a blessing and an outreach to men.  Once per month Jim welcomes men of all walks of life to his fancy bonfire pit where they roast meat, fellowship,  and encourage each other in their walks with Christ.

At the end of our six week life group, I began to admire the wisdom that Debbie spoke into my life.  She immediately began to encourage me as I struggled with being a working mother and trying to make time for a quiet time. She told me of the days that she was a widow when her daughter was 6 years old and how she continued to pursue God's love even with her husband being gone.

Years later, she remarried Jim and their love and continued attraction for each other inspires me to continue to choose to love my husband.  Even during the hard times, even in the times when I do not even feel like liking my husband. My husband was created for me, by God and I have to love him regardless.

One Sunday morning, I came into our new life group asking for prayer for a trip to see my mother in law.  My relationship with my mother in law has always been challenging and I have always carried the weight of it on my shoulders. Debbie spoke wisdom into my life when she said that I needed to pray for my mother in law without ceasing and to not give up on her.  She told me stories from her past when she also struggled to be accepted with her in laws and how after she prayed for them, the wall began to crumble. I too, began to pray for my mother in law without ceasing and I quickly saw the wall crumble. I had a wonderful trip to see my mother in law and the blessing was receiving almost daily text messages from Debbie encouraging me.

Debbie continues to inspire me and speak words of wisdom into my life.  Recently we met for coffee and she encouraged me again to pray without ceasing over everything in my life. She encouraged me while I am raising a female tween and to watch God changing her during this season.  She reminded me that God is with me always and he brings reminders like sunflowers along my path to let me see his presence. When we are in his word, we see his presence in our lives.

As I grow, I want to encourage younger women like the scripture in Titus 2. Debbie is a true blessing in my life and I pray that God will continue to work through her to bless others. I love you Mrs. Debbie and I am so thankful to have you in my life!

Friday Favorites 7/21/17

Good morning wonderful people and Happy Friday!!

I am especially happy that it is Friday because today is also a vacation day for me! Woot ! Woot!!

I am excited to be spending some time with my little people and a very handsome bald guy at a water park!!

But, before we get to that....it is time for some of my favorites.  However, I will warn you that most of my favorites this week are due to the anticipation of 2 words: beach vacation!

Favorite #1: Cup She swim suit

My husband thinks that this suit is hideous, but for some reason I love it!  I've always been told that polka dots and stripes just don't mix and I love living out of the box! I ordered my first cupshe suit from amazon.com and I loved the fit and excellent quality!

Get Your CupShe suit today!

Favorite #2: Must Have Beach Reads



I saw Lisa speak at a conference in March 2016 and I have been following her ever since!  I love the story of the adoption of her daughter, Missy and seeing all of their fun adventures!  I just hope that I can wait to begin reading until my beach vacation!!

Amazon link to purchase:
The Sacrament of Happy


Favorite #3 : Feel Good Friday Story

I first saw the story of sweet little Eden on Good Morning America. Sweet Eden fell into a swimming pool and drowned.  Miraculously, doctors were able to resuscitate her. Her parents were first told that she would be a vegetable for the rest of her life.  However,  she is now recovering and thriving! This is a miracle and truly shows that God is real!

Have a lovely Friday!!


Good Morning It's Friday quote

A Busy Weekend in pictures....

Personal note: 
I have been humbled over the past several days after all of the sweet positive comments about my last blog post.  I can't thank you enough for taking your time to read my posts, share them and to go out of your way to comment. Thank you for bringing joy to my life this past week. I will continue to blog if you will continue to read! Be blessed!


As I reflect over all of the pictures on my phone from this past weekend, I realized that it was busier than I remembered! Although, it was filled with sweet friends, Birthday celebrations and more smiles than tears!

On Friday evening we dropped Addison off to a Birthday sleepover for her friend Ella. Finn was disappointed that it was a girls only party, so we were down a kid for the evening.  He had asked several times to play putt putt, so we went to the coolest place in our little town. He was impressed with the blue water and the pirate ship!  Afterwards, we played a few arcade games and I won him a stuffed animal!

On Saturday, a local organization hosted a Free Kids Fishing Day, so we knew that Finn would love it!  We had to get up super early for a Saturday though (something that is HARD for me to do), but we did it!  Sadly, he didn't catch anything but he still had a great time!  We ran into a sweet family from our church and their kids were the first ones there and they caught several fish. The early bird really does get the worm!

On Saturday afternoon, we picked up our sweet friend Kaci and went to the pool.  You can see those dark skies and see that we didn't do hardly any swimming. Nevertheless, the kids made the best of it and played in the rain, played ball and ate a picnic lunch !

On Sunday, we went to church and it was amazing!! I took pictures, but they were too blurry to post. My husband is the Associate Children's Minister at our church and while it is a lot of work, we both love serving the kids and their families!  I taught the grade school kids on Sunday and we had an awesome time! We even went outside to play a fun water game!  

On Sunday afternoon, Finn had a Birthday party to attend at Chuck E Cheese.  Spunky volunteered to take Finn and it gave Addison and I some sweet time together. Even if all we did was venture to Aldi to get groceries and to Target ! It was still fun to have some girl time while it lasted!

I really enjoyed the evening after we got home this evening.  I have felt like each evening has been a bit muggy or completely rainy.  So, I really enjoyed my time with the kids outside tonight.

I have been struggling to get through every day.  Our vacation is coming up really soon and I am just so excited!! Addison and Finn remind me each evening when I get home how many days closer we are.  I am trying to enjoy each day as it is and try not to focus that it's not coming fast enough!

And don't be wishing you were someplace else or with someone else.  Where you are right now is God's place for you.  Live and obey and love and believe right there.  Corinthians 7:17a The Messasge

Bloom Where You Are Planted...

"So brothers  in whatever condition each was called, there let him remain with God." 1 Corinthians 7:24

Several weeks ago, I ventured home from the office and soon into my commute, I was stuck in a traffic jam.  It was one of those afternoons that I needed to pick up my children as soon as absolutely possible and the slow moving traffic began to put me into panic mode.  My hands were sweaty as I gripped the steering wheel and I began to fret with each inch that the traffic crawled. 

All of a sudden I was stopped in the right hand lane and I noticed, growing in the emergency lane was the most beautiful sunflower.  I am married to a landscaper and while I do not know a great deal about planting and growing times, but I do know that it was too early in the year for sunflowers (because mine have not bloomed yet) and I also know that it was pretty odd for them to grow out of a crack in the asphalt on the side of the interstate.  Anyway, it was there and I saw it on that day in early June.

The image of the sunflower has remained with me since that day when I was fretting over something I could not control.  I began to look for the sunflower over the course of the next few days and it remained there for some time.  Each time I felt God whisper to me to bloom where I am planted.

The sunflower on the side of the interstate by no means had the most ideal growing conditions, but yet it continued to thrive. The sunflower grew taller and taller over the course of the next couple of weeks & I can't help but think that others saw her as well.

I feel that God often times places us in difficult places in our lives, where often times it is difficult for us to grow.  On the surface, our ground may not be the perfect soil for us to mature, but inside of us we have everything we need to thrive.  When the situations around us are chaotic like the cars that zoom by on the interstate and we are trying to keep from falling on our faces, we can rely on the strength that Jesus gives us to stand.  When we feel that we're too young / not spiritually mature enough / inadequate for the situation, we have to remember who placed us in this time and know that he will provide our every need, like the sunflower.  When we do, others begin to notice and they long to be around us when their world is insecure.  We can point them to the one who gives us the ultimate peace.

Happy Independence Day!!

Happy Independence Day!

Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people whom he has chosen as his heritage!

Psalms 33:12