Tales of a Crafty Mama

p.s.

Last weekend was beyond amazing! Did you know that I got to meet up with three very dear blogging friends? I can't wait to share all about it- hopefully this weekend? Until then, check out my lovely friends' posts about it:

a lifetime

{Our Weekend- Part 1} + {Our Weekend- Part 2}

{Love}

hello!

 

{image via Apartment Therapy}

I know, I know! Geesh, I have been gone for awhile, haven't I? January has just been one crazy month.

First, I just want to thank you all so much for your kind words, thoughts, and prayers in regards to my last post. We headed back to Portland two weekends ago to attend a special service honoring Sabrina. It was very hard and sad for all of us, but her service was so beautiful. You could truly sense God's presence with us, and it felt so peaceful and hopeful, despite the immense sadness. We were also blessed to be able to see many of our dearest friends from Bellingham who drove down for the service. It was so difficult to be brought together under such tragic circumstances, but so wonderful to all be in one place again for the first time in nearly two years.

It is exactly one month ago today that Sabrina died and I have to say that it has seriously one of the hardest things I have ever gone through. It feels strange to say that- I mean, I didn't lose my own child, or even someone in my own family. But to see people I love so very much in so much pain + heartache was really, really difficult. I hurt for them so much; I still do. And as I told Nancy last week, dear friends share not only a special bond with each other, but also with each other's children. And I loved Sabrina from the moment I heard that she was coming, just I love Abraham and Nancy's other two children. I am so sad that we will never get a chance to know her. So sad. 

I have been doing so much better emotionally since her service though. But at times it has felt strange and wrong to go back to normal life, and the things of normal life, such as blogging. Is that crazy? I don't know. I have wanted to blog- I have so much to write about! But I just haven't felt motivated yet. Add to that the guilt I feel for being incredibly behind on emails and commenting on all of your lovely blogs and how crazy messy and unorganized my house is right now... I am just a little bit overwhelmed right now!

So I am taking a little internet break- from tomorrow, Sunday, January 25th to Sunday, February 1. I just need some time to get caught up on life without the distraction of the internet. I need to immerse myself in real life right now. That means no blogging, no emailing, no facebooking, nothing! If you need to get in touch with me between now and then, feel free to call- I am not taking a phone break :)  I hope you all understand.

Then, on Monday, February 2, I will be back in this little space! I am really excited about February. I feel like it is really my "new year", since I feel like January has kind of bit shot. So be prepared for an update on our lives, lots of little projects in the works, and of course that giveaway I promised way back in November...

Until then...

xo andi

happy blogging birthday to me!

 

I still have a few days of gratefuls to catch up on before the end of the month (can you believe that it is almost December?), but I have a seriously messy kitchen that I do not want to wake up to tomorrow morning. So...I just wanted to pop in and say hello and guess what?

Today my blog turned 3 years old!

I can't believe that I have been blogging that long. I can't believe that I have nothing else to say about that tonight because I am too tired and I really, really must get to that kitchen...

But, if you are up to it (I know I have majorly been slacking in the commenting on your blogs thing lately, so I don't really deserve it...), would you mind stopping in to my comments section and saying hello? I am really really curious to know who is actually reading my blog! And if it is not to much to ask, would you mind sharing with me how you found my blog and what keeps you coming back? I often wonder these things as I stay up at night writing new posts. Part of me wants to believe that I am just doing it (writing on my blog) for myself, for a record/journal of my life. But of course that is not the only reason I write. Quite a bit of it is because I have fallen in love with the community of blogging, the likeminded people I have met online.

I really wanted to be able to offer up a lovely little giveaway as a treat to my faithful and dear readers, but to be honest with you, I am embarassingly late in sending out some packages right now (you know who you are, sweet girls!), so how about if I promise a giveaway or two in January after the holidays? Anyone who comments on this post between now and December 5th, will be entered into my mystery giveaway!

I love you, dear readers. Thank you so much for your friendship and love the past three years! You make blogging so much fun and definitely inspire me to give it at least another three years...

xo Andi

{P.S. The above photos (from a 10 on 10 post this year) are a big reason why I blog: To remember my sweet little life, all the precious moments I get to have being a mama and wife to the most amazing family ever + To strive every day to find beauty in something, even if it is as simple as a plate of pancakes...}

Welcome to the World of Blogging, Andi

Oh, I am so excited! My first blog! I am so behind on this whole technology thing...but I am on the band wagon now! I stayed up way too late tonight putting it all together. Now I am too tired to make this first blog very worthwhile. Come visit me later...I promise it will be much more exciting...