At the Cross...

Ever have one of those days? It's been a rough one around the Keathley Homestead. {Good, but rough. Is that possible?} We had many ups and a few downs, but in general, I was just in a "funk."

Ever have one of those songs? A song that puts your mind so much on the right things that it just turns everything around? Enter this song.

I remember it from when a group from Olivet came to sing at my church a year or so ago. It touched me so very deeply then. I listened to it over and over, but then couldn't find it again before buying.

Be assured. It is now on my iPod Praise playlist.

A friend put it on Facebook tonight, and I've just had the greatest "God time" tonight right her in my office/craft room. There is clutter and chaos all around me and a million things to do...But "at the cross I bow my knee, there's no greater love than this...what can seperate me now?"

Ah-mazing. {Seriously. You should listen to it.}

Happy Father's Day!

Those of you who know me know that I am abundantly blessed. I have so many men in my life that have been loving and influential. This is my Father's Day tribute to 3 of my favorites:

Grandpa Ken

I may or may not have a slight reputation for being "Grandpa's girl." We might even have a song to go with that name. This gentle, genius of a quiet man has loved me through and through. He's a craftsman...building furniture with timeless style, never leaving out small details that make it priceless. I have a coffee table he once made for my great grandmother that is solely made out of levels. Seriously. It's classy, functional, and so very special to me.

We have spent countless hours on the porch swing at the Schooner house. Sometimes we swung; sometimes we were still. Sometimes we talked/sang; sometimes we were silent. Sometimes he had his arm around me; sometimes we held hands. But we always went there. We listened to "country life" out there - dogs barking, birds chirping, horses neighing...and it was divine. I miss that house. I am thankful that I do have the porch swing for the sweet day that I have a porch I can hang it on. I am positive that I will always think of him when I sit on it.

Thank you, Grandpa, for loving me so much. Thanks for the time you invested in me, and thank you for instilling in me a love for silence - which often goes against all of me. It is growing to be one of the things I crave for as an adult...silence. I miss you & wish I could see you more often. I love you always.

Daddy

I haven't always appreciated my sweet Daddy - probably not until I was 17 or 18. But this man...loves God to his core, longs to bring people to Christ, and loves his family deeply. He is Christ-like when there aren't many men out there who are. He is the prime example of a love that sacrifices for my mom. He would literally do anything for her, and is quite crazy about her.

He was tough when he needed to be, soft when he needed to be, and shared with me a love for connecting God's word to my every day life. Sometimes I still call him to see what his perspective is on a particular passage of scripture. He is my advice-giver...I rarely do much without his wisdom and prayers being involved. I am proud to say he is my friend, and I love this man to pieces!

Daddy - thank you for loving me in my most unlovable moments. Thank you for choosing me, not knowing exactly how God planned our life. Thank you for hours of conversation, be it silly or serious. {And thank you, especially, for the talking billfold...which will ALWAYS make me laugh.}

My True Love

When we first started dating, he balked when we sat near kids at a restaurant. They were too noisy, he would say. {To be quite frank, as a giant kid-lover, I wasn't sure how we were going to work out.} However, during a family trip, it was my 9 month old nephew, Isaiah, who changed the heart of my {now} big, smooshy, silly, loveable, kid-friendly teddy bear of a husband.

When there were concerns that adoption may be something that only I wanted to do, I struggled with the possibility of that. Enter in my brown-eyed boy, who has changed all of us {and really anyone that has come in contact with him}. One of the things I love about adoption is how God uses it to change us. It's not just the child that receives a blessing.

Now, he is my rock. He is the one who keeps me laughing when I feel like crying. He supports anything and everything I want to do {even my crafting obsession}. He challenges me. He encourages me. He helps me see when I'm over the top, and also when I need to push a little harder.

Little D wants to be just like him. If Daddy wears sandals, so does D. If Daddy wears an undershirt, so does D. If Daddy loves BBQ, so does D. They are pretty much inseparable when Daddy is home from work.

To my Mister - I have loved you these past 5 years, but my love grows as I watch you with Dillon. You are fair and fun; appropriate and loving. And he wants to be just like you - which is pretty much the best example of what a great Dad you are. Happy Daddy's Day, my love. I can't wait to grow our family with you!

Show 'N Tell: A Summer of Fun

If you're an addicted avid blogger like me, you already know that the Summer To Do List is all the rage.

I love, love, LOVE the idea and have made ours. We worked on it all day, but I did finish it (and it's only 7 after midnight!). Here are my inspirations: Home Stories A2Z, Clean Mama, & East Coast Mommy. You won't believe the inspiration you get from other's great ideas all fleshed out! You should totally go check out these three great ideas!

I just made it my own after stealing borrowing some of their ideas, plus things my little brown-eyed boy thought up!

 

First, compile your list. This took us a long time. We are both, however, complete spazzes (is that even a word?!)

 

 Cut our your lists into little strips. We printed ours on super cute (coordinating) paper. I know...I'm a total geek. {Also - how did I talk D into purple, gray, and green?! I don't know, but I love it!}

Modge 'em onto leftover Crystal Light containers. {I may or may not have an endless supply of these. I think I might drink a gallon a day.}

 Print cute labels on more coordinating paper and apply. See below.

Super cute, easy, cheap {in my case, FREE!}, and I think it will help us to do different things this summer and keep us on our toes! No one wants a boring summer when one can have a Summer of Fun!

I know, right?! AH.Mazing! ;-)

What's on YOUR Summer of Fun checklist?? {Official or not...I wanna know so I can steal it from you give you a virtual high five!}

Linking up with:
Funky Polkadot Giraffe: Too Cute Tuesdays
Not Just a Housewife: Show Me What Ya Got
Sweet Peas & Bumblebees: What I Made Wednesday
Night Owl Crafting: Hoooo's Got Talent?
Hookin' Up with HoH #52

DIY: Flippity Flops

In the spirit of summer, I thought I would post my new favorite flips!

We made these at a Family Fun Night at the end of the school year {I know, I know...I'm catching up, slowly and surely}.

All you need are some strips of fabric (1"x6") and a cheap-o pair of flops in any color you desire.

{Can you tell I adore the cute green flowered one!?}

I love them b/c they are easy to make and totally fun to look at {not to mention CHEAP}! They dress my ugly feet up just nicely!

{Probably could have done without this picture. Please excuse my "tankles" and the incredible need for a pedicure.}