something I can do.

Hey friends!
Once again, here I am....posting again finally 6 months later.
And today's post isn't even about me!

I just came across something really cool on somebody else's Pinterest board, and it almost seems too good to be true.

It's a way that you and I can SO EASILY help artisans in Uganda by supporting their businesses. Even if you can't buy anything, even just spreading the word helps them.

I just signed up, it took me like 2 seconds. I have a 7 days to raise awareness for a woman named Akello Florence. She's 31 and has 1 child. If you go to my page (click here)  and buy anything on the store, she will benefit from that. There is lots of jewellery, bags, scarves, and even a nativity set that have all been handmade by these artisans. These are some of my favorites:

Perfect for Christmas gifts I'd say!! :)

The goal is for me to raise $200 for her in 7 days, and that will be her month's wage.

But even if you can't buy anything, at least take a look. This program is called Work Works from Light Gives Heat, and you can quite easily begin your own campaign. It doesn't cost anything and all they ask for is your email address and name and they give you your own page.


That's all for now, but I promise to try and write an update post sometime soon!

going "no 'poo"

curious about the title? Haha...the first time I heard it I was thinking the same thing I'm sure you're thinking...bathroom talk. Well I guess it does have to do with the bathroom but not the toilet part.

It's the term for "no shampoo". My friend told me about it a few weeks ago and since then I've been pondering whether it was a good idea or not.

The gist is that instead of using shampoo, you wash your hair with watered down baking soda and instead of conditioner you use watered down apple cider vinegar. Sounds weird. But then I thought about it, and the benefits. Less expensive (not my main concern since I usually get shampoo for like $2), less chemicals and cancer-causing crap touching my body (somewhat concerning), and the main reason for me - to get my hair UN-dependant on being shampoo'd every day and waking up with greasy hair every morning. "no-poo" is supposed to get rid of that, after a two week to two month adjustment period.

You can read the specifics on the Simple Mom blog here. She explains it all well, so check it out there if you're interested in the details. And if you google the term "no poo" you'll get lots of other articles pop up too, I'm sure!

Today I got brave and tried it, and it was a lot better than I imagined!  I made up the baking soda/water and apple cider vinegar/water mixtures in empty Coffeemate flavored creamer containers so it's easy once I'm in the shower. I was thinking the baking soda water would be gritty and hard to rinse out but it really wasn't bad at all! My hair was LITERALLY "squeaky clean". Then I was brave again and poured a bit of the vinegar on the ends. It was stinky at the time but once I rinsed it out I couldn't smell it anymore. My next skeptical thought was the combing process....I was doubtful that my hair would feel smooth and comb easily after my shower. I was surprised again! It felt like it always does, or maybe even better!

I let my hair air dry today, and it dried just like it always does. I wouldn't even know the difference. Except I think it's maybe even a little more shiny than normal.

So there you go. I think I might just stick with this! My ultimate goal is to be able to go at least 2 days between washes if I need to. Right now that's not really an option! :)

my kids are blessed...

Thank you Dan for being such a great daddy to our kids! Happy Father's Day!

Love Laura, Jaxon and Jada!

(don't try and make sense of the timing of these pictures, they all showed up in random order. I apologize! :)

There's always daily crazy time with daddy!

I can't even count the number of times this happens!

push-up time!

this daddy even does diapers!

cooking time with Daddy! (automatic score with mommy)

servanthood, part 1

As you can see, my blog looks a little different. Mostly because I was bored of the same old look, and I was annoyed by how the new blogger layout updates changed my header picture and made it not fit right. I finally got inspired to do something about it. :) It's been kinda fun.

I also wanted to pick a new name..."Dan and Laura's Journey" was seeming a bit bland to me, and this blog has never really been something Dan has contributed to, so I thought I should find something a little more personal. I wanted to think of something meaningful and that would apply to my posts, and I came up with "Striving for Servanthood".

Lately, servanthood has been on my mind a lot. It's something that I really am not that great at yet, but something I really want to get my heart attitude to. I think the thing that got me started was a specific chapter in Sally Clarkson's book, "the Mission of Motherhood" (awesome book, by the way!!).

Servanthood is not something that comes naturally to me. I'll back up a little bit...

Motherhood has been harder than I remember it being before. I'm sure it's just a phase that I'm in, or maybe it's a testing phase, I don't know. I don't think it's even that my kids are being extra-hard to take care of, I think I'm just having a harder time than ever with giving of myself. All the time. It's not the kids' fault. It's my own selfishness being EXTRA loud. I hate it!!! I feel like I'm in a battlefield in my mind all day, fighting off what I want to do for myself and what I know is the right thing to do for my family.

I WANT to be a good mom, and spend lots of good quality time with my kids, and respond with patience every time they disobey or want something or are whiny or overtired or won't sleep as long as I want them to, etc...but many of those times, my selfishness is right there, screaming inside of me. It reminds me of this verse in Romans: 

"So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand." - Romans 7:21

Being a good mom is so important to me. Having healthy routines and discipline and teaching and fun and bonding time in place is a big priority for me as a mom. I love my kids and I want to us to have a great relationship and for them to know that they are important to me and that they are very loved.

But even though that is all so important to me, more times than I like I find myself being short with my kids, being easily annoyed, and not the most patient. I've thought and prayed a lot about this (because I hate feeling like that! I know it's wrong!) and I've come to realize that I'm feeling that way because I'm focusing on myself too much. On when I'm going to get that few minutes of Laura time. On how I had to stop and start reading that one page article 5 times before I got through it because of "mommy!!!" inturruptions. On how I'm tired. On how I can't drink my morning coffee in peace. You get the idea. 

I think that if I can let go of the things "myself" wants and expects out of my day and I can focus on being a servant as Jesus was while He was on the earth, not only would I be a better wife & mom, I would also be more satisfied. If my expectations for the day were focused on being a servant to my family instead of taking care of myself and my "needs", I think it will be easier to have a good attitude about it, and be more patient, loving and creative with my kids throughout the day. I'm sure I will still get little bits of time that I can do what I want, but if I just take it as it comes rather than looking for it, I think I'll be more patient.

More than ever, I'm realizing that there's no way that I can be the servant wife & mom that I want to be (and that God wants me to be) on my own. I just can't! That thought is both freeing and humbling. I guess if I'm honest I'd like to say that I'm naturally a patient, loving, gentle, sweet, creative, fun, awesome mom, but the truth is...I am nothing good without Him. And I'm so thankful that He does help me and that He can make me into a GREAT wife & mom, and that I don't HAVE to do it on my own!



I think that's enough babbling for tonight (if you've actually made it to the end of this post, I'd be suprised! :)

I will post again soon with a little blurp from the Mission of Motherhood that has inspired me about servanthood.

 "But whoever  would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many". Matthew 20: 26-28

"He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By His wounds you have been healed." 1 Peter 2:24

bummer!

...just realized that in the midst of me changing my layout I lost the list of blogs I read! If I know you and you have a blog, can you do me a favor and write your blog address in a comment? Thank you! :)

a work in progress

As you can see, there are a few changes around here! I'm re-inspired to start blogging more again, and I thought it was time for a new look! It will likely look a little different next time you come around!

supper entertainment

summer hilights

I've been pretty bad at posting lately. I just don't feel like I have time for any of this stuff anymore...but I thought I could handle a quick post with some of our summer hilights :) I'll do it picture-style :)

Sweet sleeping baby

Camping in Traverse City, Michigan during the Cherry festival with our friends the Loberts :)

beachin'

spent most of his time while we were camping on his bike :)

African Lion Safari with Grandpa & Grandma

The last tractor ride with Papa on the farm! The next time we visit they will be moved!

A nice visit with Grandpa & Grandma...

...and Nana & Papa!

...and Taden!

ahhhh, CAMP!! (translated: "cottage" for non-Northerners)

a visit from cousins Auna & Weston (and Adam & Ang too!!)

First time to the movies! Winnie the Pooh. Sweet memories!

Best friends! (or, that's what I tell them they are anyway!)

Remembering Mya on her 4th birthday

a new-found LEGO lover!

My boy is 3!!

a new guitar for our little musician