Home Sanctuary

Company Girl Coffee 7.30

Guess what??

On Monday, we'll get back to doing Small Things together! Woot! I've missed getting together each day for our daily dose of fun and accomplishment.....and I must say my house will be grateful for the attention. Let me ask you: Do you subscribe to Home Sanctuary via email so that you won't miss a single post? Please don't tell me "no." :) Here - I'll make it easy for you!

Subscribe to Home Sanctuary by Email

If email subscriptions aren't your thing, you could subscribe in a reader of your choice by clicking here. 

And speaking of subscriptions, I'll be sending out a newsletter this weekend and I'd hate to have you miss it. I'll be updating you on the gift book I've been trying to finish working on as well as talking about putting together a Company Girl "Real Life" Get Together! Here's the link for the sign up page. (Don't worry...I don't flood your email box with junk - I send it just a few times per year.)

I've come CLOSE to finishing the horse murals. I took off over a week, so this has really gotten dragged out - but I'm feeling pretty good about the results.

The bathroom "tack room" got a signboard, bridle, rope and a bunch of doo-dads. Sometime I'll have to show ya'll how to paint greenery and flowers because it is SIMPLE! You could do it, I promise.

 

Tack supplies, complete with a little furry friend.

 

 And another one, with cheese.

Random stones and greenery break up the huge expanse of beige walls.  There will be some framed prints on each side of the armoire, so the stones will recede into the background. The homeowner liked the "wood" wainscot so much that we brought more of it out into the bedroom area.

The built-in desk needed something, so I've painted more stones and I have the start of a hen and chicks going. It would be cute to have some painted chicken wire, but I'll have to feel inspired to add it and I'm kinda tired.

 

There will be a playful Jack Russell Terrier on a hay bale, and you can see he is base-coated in. I could not get the homeowner's dog to sit still long enough to take a photo to get the markings right so I gave up and moved on to the chicken. 

 

Now that the furniture is in place, the horses peeking through the barn door look right at home. There are only a few more details to finish up and then I'll be able to put my brushes up for awhile. Whew!

Well, have YOU had a good week? We'd love to hear about it! Link up below for our weekly feature, Company Girl Coffee. It's really simple and it's a great way to get to know some delightful friends. Then venture out and visit as many blogs as you can! Easy, peasy.

 

Penny Rugs

Penny Rugs.

Doesn't that sound like something that is utterly charming? They are. Stop over and visit Company Girl Katharine, and she'll tell you all about them.

LOOK AT THESE!

Yes, utterly charming! And for those of us with short attention spans, this may be the answer to our craving for crafts that don't take years to create.  Thanks so much for sharing, Katharine! 

Company Girl Coffee 7.23

It's been a quiet week around here with my guys gone. And though I miss them, I am truly enjoying "alone time," - not cooking or cleaning, eating cereal for dinner....it's all good. So very good. I've had to work most of this week, so it hasn't been all fun and games around here, but I HAVE made progress on one of my personal goals.

My biggest goal is to prepare for a retreat for the women of Burtonsville Baptist Church in Burtonsville, MD, and for my home church - both in October.  The message that God's put on my heart is all about "refuge," out of Psalm 34:8. Don't you LOVE this photo?

I am super excited about these events......because I know some good things are going to happen. The Lord is challenging me about the things I put my trust in - and find refuge in - instead of the One who is the true Rock. I often take refuge in trying to control things and people around me, or busyness or food, or my job (to name a few), rather than finding my security and significance in Him.  But Oh! He offers so much more than these temporary shelters I've created......I hope these sweet ladies won't mind that I will be sharing straight from my heart.

Let's link up for our weekly feature, "Company Girl Coffee."  It's an easy way to get to know other bloggers by linking up and then visiting the blogs that participate. If you are nervous about trying it, let me assure you that these gals are the best kind of company to have over: they're friendly, like to chat, and don't care if your bathroom is messy. Our non-blogging CG's can participate in the comment section, so don't forget to read the comments as well!

Heart Stealer

I'm breaking my vow of blog silence because I miss my son and I can't help it.

Grayson left for a father-son fishing trip into the hinterlands of Minnesota, to be followed by two weeks of hockey camp. My two "boys" are in hog heaven, and ok, I admit that I'm thoroughly enjoying a few days of solitude. 

Just before he left, we sat on the couch, snapped some phone photos and talked about the summer. It's only mid-July, but it feels like it's almost over. After camp, there will be the inevitable Cramming of the Summer Reading and Other Assignments that somehow didn't get started done, the back to school shopping, and the final swimming parties with friends. Squeeze in a haircut, dates with his girlfriend and taking the driving test we didn't have time for, and that's pretty much it.

And as hard as I'm trying not to imagine an invisible clock ticking in my head, it's tough not to think about this being his second-to-last summer home.  Grayson will be a junior this year. And then a senior. And then....I can't say the words because I have a lump in my throat.

   

That boy.

I've always thought of him as my Gift. He stole my heart from the moment I laid eyes on him. I didn't mean to poke him with a diaper pin that time when he was a baby, but I somehow gave him an inch long scar from it on his belly. He says I scarred him for life.

I guess we're even then. Reserved and smart, Gray is one of those kids who is good at a lot of things. He can draw and paint better than me, he knows all about every kind of airplane (and flies them on his flight simulator), understands low pressure systems in the atmosphere, calculus equations and the hidden symbolism on LOST. He knows fishing lures and how to shoot a shotgun, knows how to tie knots and how to climb trees. He knows how to play hockey and golf, and he knows how to sleep in - even with the sun shining right onto his eyelids.

And he sure knows how to make me laugh.

Whether he is wrestling with me over a new tub of ice cream to be "First to Dig In" (a family tradition), showing me a dance move or delivering a clever line, I'm hopelessly entertained by him.

I've come to appreciate teenage humor's reliance on jokes about bodily functions because of him. A well-placed fart joke is about as funny as it comes when you're 16, and I'd be foolish to miss out on half the laughs in an effort to refine him into boring gentility before his time.  Rest assured, I only snicker quietly, so as not to give complete endorsement.

 

I often think about how we used to stop the car to watch bulldozers and cranes at construction sites. And how exciting it was when we got stuck at railroad crossings and the conductor would acknowledge us with his train whistle.  Life just didn't get much better than that. This was the kid who liked for me to sit for hours on end and simply watch him play. He loved my company and wanted me to be with him every moment of the day. He was stuck to my hip like a barnacle for the first four years of his life - and I thought he might never become independent of me. I worried for him.

But I shouldn't have. At 16, Gray is making decisions about his life that really make me proud. He is thinking about college and choosing a degree in aerospace engineering that will be a challenge, to say the least. He brought his Bible to hockey camp, a place not known for having a whole lot of religion, and says he hopes to have a chance to share his faith while he's there.  Grayson is shouldering more responsibility at home, earning his own spending money from a summer job, and is a leader at school. He wears his retainer without being told. 

I can see him working on mastering the attitudes that all teenagers struggle with: honor and respect, security and self-confidence, integrity and courage, maturity and faith.  These are the years that the baton gets passed, and he has left the starting blocks and is sprinting with hand outstretched to grasp it.  You really can't ask for anything more as a parent, and I am so grateful. 

I was invited to go along on the fishing trip, but in the end I jumped at the chance to stay home and get some much-needed projects done.  I don't really have the stomach for catching walleyes for days on end. And in my heart I know that his dad hears the ticking of that clock even louder than I do. Several days filled with rods and reels and guy humor is probably the best thing for both of them right about now.  

So forgive me for getting sentimental like this, but it's one of those times that just kinda snuck up on me.  When I looked at the photos of my boy and I on the couch, I just couldn't help it. Something wonderful is almost over, and even though I know that the future ahead is bright, it still feels sad. Darn it all!

Please pass me some tissues. I think I'm going to cry.

 

Company Girl Coffee 7.16

I think I have the right day for company Girl Coffee this week!  Whew, what a week it's been.

My parents' 50th anniversary party went great last Saturday. Aren't they a cute couple?

After hosting guests for 5 days besides the actual party, we were exhausted!  When Monday came around, I felt like I'd been hit by a truck - but it was well worth the effort to celebrate this big milestone. It was a wonderful time.

The horse murals........sigh. I didn't get a whole lot done. Here, I'm working on the bathroom "tack room." Today I will add a bridle, more brushes, random bricks and a sign. Unfortunately, my back has some kind of knot in it and is killing me, so I will be munching on ibuprofen as I work. Ouch!

I hope you are having a wonderful July!  I can't tell you how much I miss meeting up with you every day! Link up below so we can come and visit your blog - and if you aren't a blogger, simply chat in the comment section.  It's an easy way to connect with one another and get to know other Company Girls.  Are you new to all of this?  Just jump in and link up! We're very informal around here.

I Feel Dumb

Tonight, I sat down at the computer to prepare for tomorrow's Company Girl Friday. I got my post together, uploaded photos.......and then realized:

I was a day late.

TODAY was Friday. I'd missed it.

I am so sorry! I've been so wrapped up in getting this 50th anniversary together and finishing up all the details that I completely forgot what day it was. I really feel dumb. Argh!

Well, even though I made us all miss our coffee time together, I'll just go ahead and post the photos of my mural progress, as several of you have asked about it.

A hidden mouse in the bathroom, peeking out from behind the towels.

 Blurry, sorry.

 

Three young ponies, eagerly looking out their stall door.

 

I added pink flowers, greenery and a basket of apples. I also scattered some random bricks around the "blank" areas on the walls.  You can see a few to the left of the door.

The jumping horse and girl rider are pretty much done.  I will add distant horses and details to the fence later....

 
I didn't get much of a chance to work on it this last week, due to guests coming in and all. HOPEFULLY, I will finish it next week.

Hopefully.

If I don't forget what I'm supposed to do. 

June Prize Winners

Hi Sweet Company Girls!

When I said I was going to take a break from blogging, I didn't think it would take me until today to sit down and post the winners from last month. Psh! That'll be easy!

Not so much. Other than a couple of quick emails and checking on Priscilla's blog (which, by the way, did you read about the anonymous notes in my mailbox?) I haven't been near the computer for DAYS. It feels kinda strange.

But enough about me. Let's announce the winners:

We have a tie for Most Points: Heather Gaffney and Christine Peek. Both of these fine gals managed to do every task and got the maximum number of points available! I am so impressed!  What an awesome job....and you both deserve the 24" Ephesians 3:20 print. Enjoy.

The Random Drawing Winner is EosMom (Shannon). She will receive the Dave Ramsey Book, and will amass huge amounts of money as a result. :)

Congratulations to our winners, and I can't wait for August to roll around so we can resume our regularly scheduled programming - Daily Small Things that add up to make something truly special happen at home.

Feel free to rummage around the archives while I'm on break....you might find something entertaining and/or helpful in there....should you need a "Small Thing fix." I miss you all!

Love, Rachel Anne

PS Ladies, please send me your addresses so I can get your prizes to you.

July Announcement

I apologize for posting late this morning! I hope ya'll will still be able to link up over the weekend - the US's big independence weekend!

I'll post June's winners on MONDAY....yay! Can't wait for that.

First, a small announcement: I will be taking a vacation from posting Daily Small Things for the month of July.

Tears! Crying! Anguish! Oh Sorry, I need to pull myself together.

I know, I hate to do this....but this month finds me in the throws of a huge work project, finishing up the horse murals, trying to help my son get his driver's license, hoping to go out of town AND hosting my parent's 50th anniversary. I am also speaking at two women's retreat this fall and am preparing for those. Yikes, that's a lotta stuff.

Now, I will still continue Company Girl Coffee on Fridays, and I will mostly likely post randomly every now and then - so I won't be completely off the grid.  And you can still find me at Going Beyond. But for my family's sake, I felt that I need to access the 1-2 hours per day they graciously allow me to sit and write this blog - for other things.

SO! I will miss our daily silliness for the next four weeks, but I know you'll understand.  If you are a new Company Girl, please hang in there with me and I'll be back with the Small Things before you know it.

Let's get on with Coffee!  Simply link up below to invite people to your blog - and find other blogs to go and visit.  These are the nicest, funnest girls on the web, and it is my pleasure to be able to host a virtual "coffee time" each week.  All of our non-bloggers are invited to chat in the comment section - and we really like that!!

Turn in June Points!

Can you believe that July is upon us? This summer is zooming past. Today, I'm asking for point totals from last month - so you can have a chance to win this:

This canvas print is 24" x 24" and it's one of my favorite verses.  This will go with practically any decor and will be a reminder of the HUGE God we serve. It's even more gorgeous in real life than this picture....I love it.

So, did you keep track of your scores from the daily Small Things? You might not think that you did very many, but when you sit down to tally them up, I'll bet you'll be surprised by how much you accomplished! Now, if you didn't feel like adding up numbers but you had fun following along anyway, you can enter your name into a Random Drawing for this:

Today's Small Thing takes two steps:

1) Email your point total to me. My email link is in the right column of this page. Just put the number in your email and say hi! If you simply want to be entered into the Random Drawing, then skip the numbers and say "enter me!" Easy.

2) Leave a comment, telling us which Small Thing was your favorite last month.  I love reading how one thing makes such a difference to one person, while something else works for another. It's a great way to share your experience, and encourage new readers to jump in and try it for themselves.

If you have already won a Most Points prize in the past, please let someone else have a chance to win by only entering in the Random Drawing contest.

POINTS: 30, Good toward JUNE's total

Thank you so much for being part of what makes me get up in the morning! My home is becoming the place I've always longed for it to be...one Small Thing at a time - and you are a huge part of why that is happening.  Meeting here each day gives me the motivation and friendship that makes a difference. Thanks for being my Company Girls!