So Much To Say

Tuesday, May 3, 2016

Bible Journaling

Hey all!

I wanted to pop in with a post about Bible Journaling. I've seen people do this for the past year or two but always thought that it wasn't really for me...until my dear friend Monica showed me her Journaling Bible and what she was doing with it. Seeing one in person really made it come alive for me. So what I wanted to share today is some of the supplies I use for bible journaling, how I get my inspiration, and my basic journaling process.

What is Bible Journaling?

Basically, it is taking notes, artistically, in the margins of your Bible. Before I had ever heard of this movement, I was already a big verse-underliner, writing-notes-in-the-margins, doodling in her Bible kind of girl. This is just that, on crack. ;) I think of it as scrapbooking in my bible, as I tend to use a lot of stickers, papers, ephemera, etc. But it CAN be as simple as just artistically writing out a verse (or a segment of a verse). In some cases I add my thoughts, a passage from an author on the subject, lyrics to a song, or a prayer to a page as well. I just love how it makes the Bible come alive, in color! I heard someone say that it helps you memorize verses or remember parts of the Bible better because it adds an aesthetic layer to your memory of that passage/verse.

Why do I love it?

I've always had a little bit of an artsy streak. I did a lot more art in high school and considered doing it in college as well, I just got sidetracked by cute boys. ;) (But that's a story for another time.) Since then I've dabbled in scrapbooking, painting, drawing, calligraphy, sewing, etc. I enjoy all of these things but Bible Journaling is where all of these things come together in a really fun and worshipful way for me. I get to spend time in the word and be creating art at the same time. It's really the best.

What supplies do you need?

I've also heard it said that all you really need is a Bible (of any sort) and a pen/pencil. But unless you're really really artistic or you just want to start simply (jotting notes/doodling in the margins), it's really helpful to have a few more things. The things I use most often are my Illustrated Faith supplies (I link a few down below in my Amazon affiliate links-I get a small percentage if you purchase any of these things from my links.). They have an amazing website filled with TONS of inspiration, products, blog posts, etc. They are one of my main sources of inspiration and supplies. :) Other supplies I use are:

-cheap acrylic paints (seriously, the cheapest ones from Walmart, Michaels, etc.)
-my Neocolors (linked below, they're like concentrated watercolor crayons that you can color with then wet for a watercolor look or wet a brush, rub the crayon on the brush, and paint that way)
-a few felt tipped black pens (I use Microns most often, followed by think Sharpie no-bleeds. Illustrated Faith also has a great black pen.)
-Tombow brush pens and Distress markers (linked below-for lettering or coloring things in)
-Various scrapbooking stickers and ephemera (I love Project Life cards, Bella Blvd. letter stickers, and whatever I find at craft stores that's cute! TIP: I almost never buy a sticker set more than 1.99 if I don't have a coupon from one of these stores, which you can get online, in the mail, or on their phone apps.
-Stamps (I have some linked below, but I most prefer the acrylic stamps that you mount on a mounting block. They store so easily and are so easy to use/position!)
-Washi tape (which I find from IF (Illustrated Faith), Michaels, JoAnns, Hobby Lobby, the Dollar Store, Ikea, etc.)

Where do I get my inspiration from?

Sometimes my inspiration comes from an art idea/technique that I want to try and then I find a passage to go with it. Other times (most of the time) my inspiration comes from a passage or verse I really like. I usually read the verse a few times over and try to really understand what it means. Sometimes that means reading it in context, sometimes that means looking it up in other versions, sometimes it means I go look for a commentary on it. There are also times when I just flip through my Bible, searching for something that jumps out at me and I just start doodling/painting/cutting/glueing/sticking whatever looks good to me. :)

A few ways I've found ideas or techniques to try is by searching "bible journaling" on Pinterest, looking on the Illustrated Faith website, or looking at hashtags such as #illustratedfaith #biblejournaling or #creativefaith .

I sincerely hope that if you're even remotely interested, that you'll give it a try! Our church is starting up a monthly Bible Journaling get together so if you're local and want to come see us do our crazy thing, give me a shout! And please feel free to ask me any questions that come to mind. I definitely don't know everything there is to know about bible journaling, but I'm pretty good at looking stuff up on Google. ;)

Friday, April 3, 2015

Our Baby Girl

I'm not planning on returning to regular blogging anytime soon, but this was just one of those things I felt like needed a blog post versus just a Facebook post. So just for the sake of information here on the blog, I'll give you a quick recap of our last few months...

-On Christmas Eve we found out we were pregnant. It took us a long time to decide to try again and it was such perfect timing to find out that we were again.
-I saw the doctor and got a due date of September 2nd.
-At about 6 weeks I headed to the ER with some bleeding. We were terrified but after getting an exam and an ultrasound at the hospital, we found out that our little duck was still in there, still staying strong, with a steady heartbeat.
-At about 11 weeks, I started bleeding again. This time, much more badly. I thought FOR SURE I was miscarrying and it was very, very scary. But again after an exam and an ultrasound, we found out the baby still had a heartbeat. We also found out that I had a subchorionic hematoma (SCH), a blood clot near the baby that was causing me to bleed. After a follow-up with the doctor, we found out that we just had to hang tight, deal with the bleeding, and wait for the SCH to go away.
-After being seen about every 2-3 weeks for a few months, the SCH still has not gone away or decreased in size but our Little Duck is still hanging on, growing right on track, and giving us hope.
-We found out in at an Early Ultrasound Facility that we were expecting a GIRL! Chad and I are super excited. Jonah cried at first, but is now excited.

Our girl at 13 weeks, at our gender reveal ultrasound.

Jonah's favorite picture of her. He says he loves the "orange baby."

-I now see the doctor for a heartbeat check every two weeks to make sure baby girl is still maintaining a strong heartbeat and then every 4 weeks for an ultrasound to check on her growth and monitor the size of the SCH. My OB said that he has only seen one other patient with a SCH still present at birth, but he also teases me frequently about my inability to just have a normal pregnancy, so we'll see if I become number two or this thing really clears up. I am praying so hard that it does and that it doesn't impact our girl's growth!

My "baby bump" at 15 weeks.

Now, for the reason I'm writing this post. Her name.

Ever since we found out we were pregnant, there has been one name on the top of our girl list. Chad has loved it since we were talking about names with Jonah and has either been lukewarm or just flat-out hated every other name we come across. That name is...

Ellie.

It means "shining light" or "God is my light."

When I read the meaning of her name, that's when I fell in love with it. This girl is our light, just as God is our light, and we think it couldn't suit her better.

Her middle name will be...

Mareya.

It's pronounced Muh-ray-uh. Like Mariah but with an "aye" in the middle instead.

It means "miracle."

Each time we went in and thought I was miscarrying and then found out I wasn't, I'd say that she was our miracle. She definitely is our miracle and we think the whole name just has such a pretty ring to it.

Ellie Mareya

Our girl.

Our 16 week ultrasound.

4D view of our girl at 16 weeks.

Tuesday, September 9, 2014

Recipe: Honey-Lime Pork Enchiladas

This is one of our favorite recipes as a family. In fact, I think Chad may have even declared after I made this for the first time, "OHMYGOSH-don't make any other meal other than this ever for the rest of my life." Yeah, they're THAT good. [Original recipe found here.]

Honey-Lime Pork Enchiladas:

Ingredients-

about a 2lb pork roast
assorted seasonings (salt, pepper, garlic, onion, etc.)
1/4 c. water

Marinade:
1/2 c. honey
1/2 c. lime juice
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 Tbs. chili powder (less if you like a little less kick)

20-22 flour tortillas
shredded cheese (anywhere from 2-4 cups)

Sauce:
2 c. mild green enchilada sauce
1 c. half and half (or HWC, I've used both)

1. Put pork roast in the crockpot with water and sprinkle with various seasonings. Let cook on low for 7-8 hours or high for 5-6 hours.
2. When the pork is done, shred it and put it in the marinade. You can leave it in there anywhere from a few minutes to a few days. It's all good either way.
3. Then preheat oven to 350, drizzle just a little sauce in the bottom of each pan, assemble enchiladas with about 1-2 Tbs. of meat and some cheese and then roll and tuck in pan. (This makes a lot of enchiladas, about 22, so you'll need a few pans. This is a great recipe to freeze too, just adjust your cooking time to be a little longer if you do.)
4. Cover enchiladas with sauce and then cheese and bake for 30-45 minutes. (Mine usually cook for about 38 to get them just a little bit brown and crispy on the edges.)
5. Then dish and eat! I usually serve this with Mexican rice and corn or beans. Yummmm!

Friday, August 15, 2014

All the Things Gold

If you're like me, you're obsessed with everything gold! Instead of paint it black, I would say paint it gold!! Which is what I'm here to talk about today...gold spray paint! I had a hard time finding a gold color that was the right shade and the right sheen and matched the idea that I had in my head. But I can now say, I have found it!

But, here are all the golds I've tried and why I do or don't like them! :)

The first color (and my personal favorite) is Rustoleum's Bright Coat Metallic Finish in Gold. It's the perfect shade of gold, and comes out in a kind of glossy, shiny finish. It's perfect for what I was looking for.

The second color (my second favorite) is Rustoleum's American Accents Ultra-Cover 2x in Metallic Bright Gold. It's also a great shade of gold and only my second favorite because it's not quite as "bright" as the first color. But it's still a very great color.

The third color, I wish I could remember what is was. Haha. This is the gold I used for a while before I found the RIGHT ones. It's more of a soft, satiny color, which is totally fine if that's what you're looking for. :) The closest I can find is Krylon's ColorMaster in Champagne Nouveau (which may indeed be the actual color, I just can't remember.)

The last color (which I honestly just don't like at all) is Krylon General Purpose Metallic in Gold. It's far too...orangey-yellow colored and I just didn't like it at all.

So there's my consensus on golds. I hope someone can benefit from all my trial and error! :)

Alyssa

Wednesday, June 18, 2014

Green Smoothies

I attended a class with my Aunt LeeAnn this past week on using essential oils and everything green smoothies and salads. They talked about the importance of getting enough vegetables in your diet on a daily basis and all of the many health benefits this provides. They talked about how to make a good, real, healthy salad and dressing you can make to go on top of it. They talked about how putting essential oils (only certain ones, not all are safe to ingest) in your smoothies will help flush out the toxins in your system and boost your immune system. It was very informative and helpful and coming off of a vacation, was the perfect thing I needed to kick my butt back into gear and get healthy and fit. I'll try and share a few of the things I learned, but today, it's all about a basic green smoothie.

The benefits of a green smoothie include:

-you'll eat veggies you normally wouldn't
-they're low in calories and high in nutrition
-it is pre-digested nutrition
-you'll have improved energy
-improved sleep
-and less of a desire for sweets

The recipe for a basic green smoothie:

-2 cups of water
-about 4 handfuls of greens (when you mix this with the water, you'll want about 4 cups of "green juice")
-a whole apple (cored and quartered)
-about 3 cups of fruit
-optional, chia seeds, protein powder, flaxseed, bee pollen, maca powder, sprouted flax, etc.
-optional, do terra essential oils such as Slim & Sassy, Wild Orange, Grapefruit, Lemon, etc.

Tips:

-mix between each addition to the blender.
-if you add essential oils, you CANNOT put it in anything that has plastic in it (you can't use a plastic straw either) The essential oils will melt through the plastic (which is great news for you, if you've got all that gunk in your body)! I got a 6-pack of quart mason jars and a set of lids and then I'm gonna order some metal straws from Amazon.
-if you have trouble finding time to make them in the morning, you can totally make one up the night before and just stick your lid and straw in the next morning and go.
-it's best to follow the Dirty Dozen and Clean 15 list when deciding which fruits and veggies to buy organic. But always buy organic if you can, especially if you plan on eating the skin.
-if you buy fresh produce, chop it up and store it in freezer baggies. That way it won't go bad.
-For greens, you can really use anything...just not iceberg. Spinach, kale, mixed greens, mustard greens, swiss chard, etc. It's also great to use a variety of greens (and fruits) for a diverse flavor.
-For fruit...pineapple, berries, mangoes, oranges, lemon, pears, etc.

Let me know how yours turn out! I plan on making one for breakfast or lunch every day and am excited to see how it helps!

Alyssa

Friday, May 9, 2014

One Year: Part One

One year and two days ago, I sat cuddled up with Chad on the couch and felt my baby kicking in my tummy at the kitty that was curled up next to my belly, purring. I marveled at the feeling and wondered whether our ultrasound the next day would tell us if we were having a boy or a girl. Chad was really hoping for a boy, and I was pretty good either way.

Ultrasound at 8 weeks.

One year and one day ago, we waited eagerly while the ultrasound tech scanned my belly in search of a heartbeat...and then couldn't find one. Tears streamed down my face as I stubbornly said "Nothing is wrong. It couldn't be wrong. This couldn't happen to me." But then the doctor confirmed, my little unborn baby's heart was no longer beating. Somewhere between the night before when I felt him kicking, and the ultrasound appointment, he went to heaven to meet Jesus...and left us here, his family, behind. They informed us that since I was farther along (17 weeks) that I would have to deliver him in the hospital. I would have to go through labor, and bring my unborn baby's body into the world, when his soul had already gone. It was devastating to hear. We went home, crying nonstop, and tried to process what had just happened. It seemed so surreal. We ended up deciding to go ahead and go in for the induction that night and at about 9pm, we were checked into the hospital to begin the process.

The last pregnant photo I have.

One year ago today, after 9 hours of the most emotional and heartbreaking labor, his body was brought into this world. My OB was the kindest man through all of this. He prayed with me when he first came to see me that morning, prayed with me again before we left the hospital, and was just overall very attentive to my emotional state. So when he recommended to me that I not see Oliver, because of the condition he was in, I seriously considered it...for a moment. But I knew I just couldn't fully grieve and process his death if I didn't, I would always wonder. So a few hours later, they brought him to me...and it was love at first sight. I already loved him, obviously, but when I saw him, I could see past the way he looked (which was perfectly normal for a baby of 17 weeks, you just don't see them outside the womb at that age, so it was much different than what a full-term baby looks like) and I just saw my son...the son that God knit perfectly in my womb. He had the Pruitt nose, 10 perfectly formed fingers and 10 perfectly formed toes, and the most adorable little lips. He had eyelids, skin, little tiny ears...I don't think I even cried in those few hours that I held him, I just smiled. I loved him so much.

Holding my sweet boy for the last time.

We chose the name Oliver Byron for him because Oliver means "a peace offering or an olive branch" and in giving him that name, I was saying to God "this is my peace offering to you...I know that you are always good and I'm not mad at you." Byron was Chad's dad's middle name and since he passed away in 2008 and never got to meet Jonah, we figured it would be fitting to give the grandchild he would meet before we would, his name.

I had the most amazing nurse during our stay. Her name was Mary. She was a veteran nurse who had a ton of experience with early deliveries and grieving parents. She was so sensitive to our needs and was very patient with us as we grieved. I so appreciated that she made sure we knew that whenever we wanted to have Oliver in with us, we could. But whenever we wanted them to take him, they would. She assured us hat they would take very good care of him and he would be in the hospital as long as we were there and then we could make arrangements after that. So I held him for a long time, just clinging and marveling and memorizing his face...and then offered him to anyone else who wanted to hold him.

They took him back for a little while so that we could eat lunch, and then I asked Mary to bring him back. I'll never forget the moment she walked into my room with him. She had already warned us that the longer he was out of the womb, the more he would start to change and look different. When I saw him that second time, he looked...rough. I started crying immediately, because I knew that should be the last time we saw him while we were there. I knew I wanted to preserve the beautiful image I had in my mind of him and that meant that I needed to not see him anymore while we were there. All of my family kindly left the room and we just cuddled our boy, crying and praying over him, and dreading the minutes that were quickly passing by, leading us to our goodbye.

I'll never forget curling up in a fetal position on that bed and just sobbing. I'll never forget my mom curling up beside me and and smoothing my hair. I'll never forget my sister just holding me and saying "I am so sorry Lou, I'm so sorry." I'll never forget the tears of the love of my life, whom I'd only ever seen cry twice, trickling down his face. I'll never forget the friends who came by to see me while I was there, bringing me Skittles and books and drinks and love and hugs.

Chad, Jonah, and I.

I don't remember a whole lot about the rest of that night, except for the amazingly kind night nurse who sounded just like a sweet lady from church, bringing me anything I needed from warm blankets to a movie to help us fall asleep. Chad and I curled up in my little bed together and just held each other, falling asleep to the movie Michael, about a man who was an angel.

The next morning, we looked out the window at the breathtaking view we had of Pikes Peak and the sun streaming down on its peak, and wondered how a day so beautiful could be so bleak. Leaving the hospital that morning was possibly the hardest part of the whole experience. Knowing that my baby and all the memories I had surrounding him were staying the walls of that hospital while we drove away, just wrecked my broken spirit even further. I clung to my box filled with mementos of my little boy...his hospital bracelet, the little blanket he was wrapped in and the little teddy bear he held, his foot and handprints, a book about grief, a little journal/baby book that was specific to losing a child but still being able to honor their brief life in the womb, a small bible, and other precious things...and held tightly to Chad's arm as we walked out of our room, through the halls, and outside the hospital doors. With tears streaming down our faces (which was pretty much constant since the moment we heard those words in the ultrasound, so I'm not sure that it even needs noted), we got in our car, pulled out of the parking lot, and headed home...feeling emptier than I knew it was possible to feel.

[Writing the details of those days out is almost more for me than it is to share my story. It's therapeutic to go back and process through those emotions and reminisce upon those last days with my second-born son. But I do also hope that opening up and sharing these intimate details is able to help someone. Maybe you're struggling with your own loss or know someone who is and my story can help you sympathize with them in a more understanding way. But most of all, I hope in my transparency that you see God and his constant goodness to me, even in the hardest time of my life.]

Friday, July 5, 2013

Independence Day

This year, like most years, we spent the Fourth of July hanging out with family. Last year, my Uncle Tony and Aunt Genia hosted everybody over at their place for a bbq/pool party. I got sick the night before though, and couldn't go. So Chad took Jonah and I stayed home on the couch. Blah.

This year, I was thankful that everybody was in good health and ready to swim and eat and have a good time! We borrowed a floaty vest from Jonah's best buddy Maverick so that we wouldn't have to worry about him in the pool as much. But I didn't know that we were going to be doing this this year when I scheduled my tattoo appointment to start on my arm piece. So, having a fresh-as-fresh-gets tattoo on my arm, I couldn't get in the pool or have it exposed to the sun. I brought a light sweater thing to throw on over my tank top for when I was in the sun and just stayed in the shade as much as possible.

Just the rough outline is done right now...

...I go back in two weeks to finish it up.

We weren't really sure how Jonah was going to do in the water since he hasn't been in a pool since last summer and he's much more...opinionated now about what he does/doesn't like. But he didn't do too bad! He liked it for the most part, except for when he got water anywhere near his face (including the time we dunked him to see how he'd do). :)

The water was a little chilly...

He went down the slide!

Swimming!

Jonah and his Daddy.

Learning to kick.

He liked swimming with all the different people who came...Uncle Kevin for a little bit, Uncle Tony, Pops, Uncle Dude, and Daddy. Most of the ladies (except Sheena) stayed out of the pool and just talked. We ate yummy grilled food, fresh fruit salad, and my homemade, super yummy salsa.

Swimming with Uncle Dude.

Hanging in the swim chair.

Jonah in the swim chair and Daddy being silly.

Speaking of silly...

Uncle Dude and his cousin, Blair.

Uncle Dude and his nephew and cousin.

Jonah swam/slid/played so much that he took a nap about halfway through and then woke up and swam and played some more. He would love it if we had a playground and pool like they do in our yard! :)

Blair swimming with her Momma.

Blair swimming with her Momma more.

Jumping in!!

Cute little Miss Blair.

Trying not to smile...

Eating a popsicle after swimming, yum!

Thankfully they're hosting another pool party for their daughter's (my cousin, Hannah's) birthday at the end of July, so I'll get to swim then...and Jonah will get to practice swimming some more!

We went home that afternoon around 3/4 and pretty much just vegged for the rest of the day. Chad got pretty burnt and he had hiked the incline that morning, so he was feeling really sore. I kind of wanted to go see the fireworks at Memorial Park, but they didn't start until dark (which is 8:30 here) and there was no way Jonah was staying up that late. Maybe next year...

Digging in the yard...in shoes and a diaper.

Happy Fourth-from Jonah and Maddie!

Happy Independence Day everyone! I hope you all had a fun day celebrating our freedom with your family and/or friends!!

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