Fingerprint Friday...

I haven't participated in Fingerprint Friday forever.  Finally, I am!

There is a song by Steven Curtis Chapman that says:
I can see the fingerprints of god
When I look at you
I can see the fingerprints of god
And I know its true
You're a masterpiece
That all creation quietly applauds
And you're covered with the fingerprints of god
So look around you and see where YOU can see God's fingerprints. Is it in nature? Kids? Animals? Where do you see them? Here's how to join in.

This morning as I wiped the toothpaste of the bathroom counter for the hundredth time, picked up toy food and dress up clothes for the thousandth time I realized that's my blessing.  As I sauteed onions for the crock pot and our french dip roast I realized that having a house smell like onion at 8am is a blessing.  As I said goodbye to Luke on his way out to the farm and looked ahead to a morning filled with folding laundry, washing sheets, wiping Sarah's runny nose I was pushed.  Those are my blessings.  This beautiful mess.  Because this mess means a house filled with children.  This mess means a partner to share my life with.  That onion smell?  We never have to worry about our next meal.  We have actually been blessed with abundance.

God gives me so many blessings daily.  The laundry, cleaning, mothering, repetition.  It's His work.  I am blessed that He picked me to do it for Him.  He knew what I'd need before I even did!

My French Dip recipe (my friend Jill gave me this originally and I modified it to our tastes):

One chuck roast
4 cups water
6 tsp beef granules
1 small onion
3 tsp butter
3 tsp Worcestershire sauce
3 tsp mustard


Saute onions in butter until the get translucent and start to caramelize.  Mix beef broth into water.  Whisk in Worcestershire and mustard.  Place roast in slow cooker.  Cover with cooked onions, pour beef broth mixture over top.  Cook on low (8-10 hours).
We like it on hoagie rolls with provolone and of course that yummy broth!  I usually serve this with green beans or broccoli/cauliflower mix but it's good with just about anything.  If you wanted to get fancy I suppose you could serve it like pot roast with mashed potatoes and make a gravy out of the broth.  I don't know about you but by January we are all a little tired of pot roast at our house!

Fingerprint Friday...

There is a song by Steven Curtis Chapman that says:
I can see the fingerprints of god
When I look at you
I can see the fingerprints of god
And I know its true
You're a masterpiece
That all creation quietly applauds
And you're covered with the fingerprints of god
So look around you and see where YOU can see God's fingerprints. Is it in nature? Kids? Animals? Where do you see them? Vist Beki's blog The Rusted Chain to join in!

Excuse the poor quality of the photos, I took them on my phone.  It was the only thing I had on hand when I was greeted with the most beautiful smiles this morning!  God is so good!

 Eva's smiles this morning have had this song stuck in my head all day and that is a beautiful thing!  I need more joy filled words in my life!

"Rise up this mornin',
Smiled with the risin' sun,
Three little birds
Pitch by my doorstep
Singin' sweet songs
Of melodies pure and true,
Sayin', "This is my message to you..."
Singin': "Don't worry 'bout a thing,
'Cause every little thing gonna be all right."   Bob Marley

Fingerprint Friday... Photos.

Please continue to pray for Abigail!  Her mom Clarissa posted an update.

There is a song by Steven Curtis Chapman that says: 

I can see the fingerprints of god
When I look at you
I can see the fingerprints of god
And I know its true
You're a masterpiece
That all creation quietly applauds
And you're covered with the fingerprints of god

So look around you and see where YOU can see God's fingerprints. Is it in nature? Kids? Animals? Where do you see them? Visit The Rusted Chain to join. 

My fingerprint this week is just pictures... Where we are at the moment.  And what's a blessing is in thirty years I will be able to look back at the pictures and it will kick start all these memories...

Child labor...

Sisters...

Beautiful...

39 weeks, 1 day...

Beautiful memories...

Silly girl...

Her eyes...

"I think it is right to refresh your memory as long as I live in the tent of this body..." 2 Peter 1:13 NIV

Fingerprint Friday...

There is a song by Steven Curtis Chapman that says:
I can see the fingerprints of god
When I look at you
I can see the fingerprints of god
And I know its true
You're a masterpiece
That all creation quietly applauds
And you're covered with the fingerprints of god
So look around you and see where YOU can see God's fingerprints. Is it in nature? Kids? Animals? Where do you see them?  Visit Beki at The Rusted Chain to join in!

My Fingerprint happened this morning.  In the busy of getting Josie off to school and setting up Sarah's big girl toddler bed for her birthday Luke was putting the crib back together.  Taking off the rail making it a toddler bed and putting on the rail making it a baby bed.  He raised the mattress and stepped back calling me to come and see the finished work.

As I waddled down the hallway to him big with what is most likely our last baby the look on his face was my gift.  The smile and the look in his eyes as he watched me walking to him carrying his baby that he'd just put the crib together for is one I want to remember forever.  Because I know by that look how much I am loved even if my farmer struggles with the words.  His eyes tell me....  and God's fingerprint is all over that.

Seven years, four little girls, joy and sorrow, a life built together and so much still ahead of us.  Everyday in my prayers I thank God for Luke...

Fingerprint Friday...

There is a song by Steven Curtis Chapman that says:
I can see the fingerprints of god
When I look at you
I can see the fingerprints of god
And I know its true
You're a masterpiece
That all creation quietly applauds
And you're covered with the fingerprints of god

To join visit Beki at The Rusted Chain...

God's Fingerprint... well, it's these girls.  His Fingerprints are all over them.  In Josie and her old soul, her worry, her being such a big girl and such a little girl all at the same time...

And His Fingerprints are all over Sarah, the surprise baby that we didn't know how much we'd need.  He sent her to save us, to pull us forward, to make us laugh, to give us strength.  He made Sarah just for our family and we are so blessed by her...

Simply, we are blessed.  By the three girls we have been given and the opportunity to welcome this fourth... just so incredibly blessed.

Fingerprint Friday...

There is a song by Steven Curtis Chapman that says:
I can see the fingerprints of God
When I look at you
I can see the fingerprints of God
And I know its true
You're a masterpiece
That all creation quietly applauds
And you're covered with the fingerprints of God

To join visit Beki at The Rusted Chain.

This week has been busy.  Everything has been focused on the harvest, feeding the guys, Josie going to a sleepover...  In the midst of everything that goes on though there are always a few constants.  God's love, the blessings He gives us, knowing that Marie walks with Jesus...

And for me, there's always Luke.  And all of us girls are just crazy about him.

He's been in the sprayer from 5 am on and in the combine from about 10am to dark every day.  He's been gone since long before they wake and he comes in the door when they make their way to bed later than usual.  The girls haven't been able to see him unless we go to the field.  I only get to be with him when we fall into bed at night and he is asleep before his head even hits the pillow.

This week, I am grateful for the man that God has blessed me with and how hard he works to take care of us. 

And he's pretty cute...

And a really great Dad...

And he has this amazing faith...

And he lets each of us know that we're loved... 

I am proud to be his wife.

There is a song by Steven Curtis Chapman that says:
I can see the fingerprints of God
When I look at you
I can see the fingerprints of God
And I know its true
You're a masterpiece
That all creation quietly applauds
And you're covered with the fingerprints of God

 

To join please visit Beki's blog.

This week the fingerprint was simple...

I saw God's hands in the same cotton dress, plaid on one side and flowered on the other.  And that two sisters who were together only briefly can still wear the same dress...  And from Josie, to Marie, to Sarah, that dress will pass down again.  They're all tied together whether their bodies are together or not.  Someday all of my girls will walk together in summer dresses up in Heaven.  This week it did my heart so good to see Sarah and Marie wearing the same dress.

Fingerprint Friday...

Yesterday I woke up with a heavy heart and missed Marie all day long.  What would she be doing now?  How long would her hair be?  Would I be starting to maybe help her more with her letters to teach her to read (she could have, her mind was sharp, it was only the body broken).  I missed feeding her breakfast and trying to keep her feet off the dining room table.  I cleaned the bathroom and missed looking out to see her sitting in her nap nanny in the doorway and talking to me.  I missed napping with her after lunch.  I wonder what sort of big sister she would be and if she'd be as excited about the new baby coming as Josie is.

So I cleaned, I had lunch with my a good friend.  I ran Josie to gymnastics and Sarah took a nap while I watered.  We went in the pool when Sarah got up and friends stopped by to visit and all day long I was busy and had company.  And it was good. 

Last night after dinner we were out in the backyard and I randomly snapped pictures of our night.  I was mentally cataloging the good things, the blessings, and it helped my heart not to hurt so much.

There is a song by Steven Curtis Chapman that says:
I can see the fingerprints of God
When I look at you
I can see the fingerprints of God
And I know its true
You're a masterpiece
That all creation quietly applauds
And you're covered with the fingerprints of God

 Sarah's picture face, waiting for the flash...

 My petunias.  They're so simple but they're so pretty.

 Luke.

 Blessed in that for the last eight years our house has been filled with tiny toe-nails for me to paint.

 Josie's imagination.  It is amazing.

 A flower in the ally, unexpected pretty.

 The sunset.  And Marie... she's just behind it.  Because there's no night in Zion.

 My tiger lily's with buds on, I can't wait to see them bloom.

To join Fingerprint Friday please go here.