Emotional Health/ Kids/Family/ Spiritual

On Fall, Life, Family Dinners, Homeschooling, Health, Husband & Winter

Colsie Leaf 2

Sometimes I just want to reach across this computer divide and see your faces and touch your hands and say a genuine hello.  To this day, I am in awe of the fact that thousands of you visit this little corner of the world-wide web and care to check in a see what I’m up to here at New Nostalgia.

I decided to take a break from the usual posts and just take a day to check in, say Hello, and open up my heart and life.

I sure wish we could have a two-way conversation, but since the closest thing we come to that is on Facebook or Twitter or your words in the comments, I will just blab today and fill you in a bit on life.  I sure would love you to blab back in the comments or any of my social media channels.  Please do!

 

Fall Weather Bliss

I live in the Midwest and the fall weather has me in awe everyday!  The trees seem especially beautiful this year, the oranges, reds, pinky maroons, yellows and greens.  It has been absolutely breathtaking.  For me, the beauty of nature is a constant reminder of the Creator & how He just cares for the details and makes all things beautiful in time.  Our weather has been amazing and I just can’t get over it!  It places this unexplainable joy in my heart every time I’m out and about, and can make the hardest of days beautiful again.  Why am I surprised that God’s ever-changing art can do that?

 

Driving

I Live In My Car

Speaking of “out and about” I –as I’m sure many of you– feel like I am in my car more often than not lately.  Todd and I have always been very careful to keep balance when it comes to our kids extracurricular activities & involvement in anything away from home.  That was much easier to do when they were younger.  Our girls are now 15, 13 & 11 and their lives are full! Cross-country running, soccer, youth group, guitar lessons, tutoring & more.

It feels busier than I’d like it to be, but honestly it feels right for this season. I find myself so thankful for their gifts, talents, abilities and the amazing friends God has graciously given to my 3 lovelies.  These are the blessings that keep them busy, and for that I am thankful.

 

Dining Together

A Recommitment To Family Dinners at The Table

Despite the busyness, I have recommitted to family dinners at the table.  I find that we are able to eat at the table at least 3 times a week, and that is better than none!  Even if there are only 3 of the 5 of us home (many times Todd and my youngest are off at soccer practice right at dinnertime) I still commit to calling them to the table to eat.  For awhile we lost this simple but powerful routine.  I have a daughter who has been walking through some hard emotional things included a Sensory Processing Disorder (which I will be posting about in the future) and there was a period of time where it was just too hard to even be at the table together.  I am so thankful for direction from above in treating our sweet girl and that she is now capable of joining the family at the table in a healthy manner.  If you find yourself in a crisis situation with one of your kids, let me encourage you that it will not last forever.  Do your best, Momma’s, and fight for your kids.  Provide as much support for them as you can, and when you cannot, pray your hearts out.  God is there and hears our Momma- heart- prayers for our children.

Colsie{photo taken of my Colsie girl by Laurie Cosgrove}

Me? A Homeschool Mom?

This sweet daughter I speak of is now homeschooling.  Sitting in a classroom caused much suffering for her before we found treatment for her, and it was a necessity to pull her out.  I myself homeschooled during my high school years, and have always said God did not bless me with the abilities it would take to homeschool my children.  I wrote it off as something I would never do. Friends, I recommend never saying never!

I do know myself well and after a couple of weeks of trying to do it myself, we recognized we needed more help for our girl.  My amazing Mother-in-Law and Sister-in-Law have come to our rescue and committed to teaching my girl. They are both teachers – so honestly we couldn’t be more taken care of.  We split her time up between the two 5 mornings a week, and I get her in the afternoons for other things like physical activity, photography class & reading time. It is working beautifully.  I cannot tell you how relieved I am. I cannot tell you what a gift it is to have these two amazing women in my Colsie’s daily life. Not only am I not a natural teacher, but adding the dynamics of her disorder just made it feel impossible to school her myself.  God is in the business of providing, and even calls himself by that very name –Provider.  It has been a long and  stressful process of finding the best life for my girl, but God has been there every step of the way.  He is very much our faithful Provider.

 

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My Physical Health

The last couple months have brought quite a bit of turmoil when it comes to my health.  My cancer is still in remission, but the ongoing treatment I need has proven itself very challenging.  7 months ago I switched cancer meds and honestly it has rocked my world.  Just recently I switched again due to unbearable joint pain I was having. These meds mess around with hormones, and if you are a woman you know hormones are never a fun thing to mess around with. Not only did I switch cancer meds, but also at the same time switched mood meds, as they also had side effects of joint pain.  Friends, that month and 1/2 of detoxing from meds and slowly getting back on new ones were hard.  Excruciatingly hard.  Hard on my body, hard on my mental health, and especially hard on my family.  I am on my way back up and doing so much better.  Joint pain is almost nonexistent, which feels like a miracle!  Before, I felt joint pain in joints I didn’t even know I had!  My feet, ankles, hip & elbow and shoulders all hurt beyond and affected me much more that I even realized, especially on those rainy days when weather changes made them all double- flare.  I am so relieved to be relieved of this pain.

 

My Mental Health

As far as my mental health, I am due for a post to fill you in, but we are still in the process of figuring out what is best for me right now.  What I can tell you is that God Works All Things Out For Our Good, especially the very hardest of things.  The last few months have been super humbling to say the least, and so painful that we had to bring my in-laws into the loop to help us get through it.  Their gentleness and mercy toward me was the most beautiful picture of how God deals with us.  They have seen me at my lowest & instead of running away, they moved towards me with a love that showed me they are for me and willing to walk through the hard. They have been a huge part of keeping our family healthy and whole.  They have gently led me in a direction I needed to go and provided the means to get there.

It is still early in this process of discovery and healing when it comes to me…and I cannot wait to share with you how we are finding answers.  Sometimes it takes a humbling, a bringing down to our knees, before we can clearly see the direction we need to go.  This is what has happened with me recently & though it was painful, I am so THANKFUL.  I am finding the best answers for what is needed and I am feeling pretty giddy excited about God’s revelation and provision–given through the help of my sweet in-laws AND with the help of the most gentle and wise psychiatrist.  More to come on that in another post.

Todd and Amy Car

My Sweet Husband

Oh my sweet Todd.  I sit here and tear up when I think of this good, good man and all that he has had to carry.  He will be the first to admit he has not always reacted the best in dealing with all of the pain and turmoil in our family..especially that which comes from me.  Being an extreme introvert he has a tendency to go inward when life is pressing hard… BUT.. he truly has carried these heavy burdens in a way that is admirable and faithful.  He has been through much, has watched both his wife and daughter suffer in different but frightening ways, and his steady faithfulness to me and our family has been a healing gift to me.  He has been burden- bearer.  He has been provider.  He is willing to walk through the hard, admit when he is messing up, and take my hand to try again.  It might take him awhile to come out of his inwardness, but he always does. I am forever committed to this good, good man of mine, and I am super excited to be heading upward after being in the valley–hand in hand with my man–for he deserves a dang good view!

 

My Mentor

I read Titus 2:4,5 years ago.  It talks about how the older women in the church should mentor the younger women.  I have always loved that concept and idea. I have had a longing and stirring in my heart for a mentor in the form of an older-than-me and wiser-than-me woman for years.  I have prayed for this for years.  I have even asked a couple of women who I thought might be the perfect match for me, and nothing ever panned out…until recently.  My mentors name is Kim and God is so funny how He brings about things.  I will fill you in on the fun story in another post, but for now let me just tell you, God can make His purpose come about in strange ways–like elderberry hunting.  Yep, forging for elderberries caused my forging for a mentor to be fulfilled.

Needless to say, my Kim has been so perfect for me.  She, too, has 3 girls–all beautiful and grown.  She has a husband whom she loves dearly, and has walked through much life and gained amazing wisdom in the process.  She has taken me straight to God’s Word and I am seeing things in it that I never have before.  We. Just. Click.  She is one of the most precious gifts I have ever been given.  We have only met together 4 times but our hearts are entwined and she has taught me so much already.   I can’t help but squeal about it…WEEEEEEE!

If this is a desire of your heart, start asking God for it.  He WILL answer in His time.  It might be years down the road, but believe me, it will be the most perfect of time.

 

WHITER-THAN-SNOW

The Upcoming Winter Season

Usually when one thinks of winter, we think of cold & nature put to sleep.  I choose to look toward the winter season ahead with an anticipating excitement.  I know God will continue in His faithfulness to our family, and when I think of winter coming, I think of a cozy candlelit home, warm hoodie sweatshirts, and glistening snow.  I will use the blanketed snow as a beautiful reminder of how God’s love covers the dead and dying, how seasons come and go, how God promises new mercies everyday, and how He has made and continues to makes us pure-whiter than snow!  My prayer is that He would take this hurting, rag-tag- BUT stronger- than- ever family and carry on in His work of refining. It is a scary prayer, to ask to be refined, but I know that His only purpose is to make us ready for the next season, so that we might glisten like snow. A glistening to glorify Him. Only Him.

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  • Katrina Foster
    October 31, 2014 at 11:51 am

    Hey Amy,

    I loved catching up on life with you and meant to reply. Follow through is a struggle I have of late. Better late than never!

    I grateful that you are real about your life. It ministers more than you know and let’s me know how to support you in prayer. We are learning to live in a bit of a waiting game and life feels very ” in between”. Sustained a friendship loss at the beginning of the year that I am still working through. Had a storm of losses that hit through August, but there good that comes from that. We are looking for a new church home currently. Brad has been looking for work for 2 years. He just wants to provide for his family. My income is 1/3 of what we were making. God keeps providing tho and we are grateful. I’ve started to write, though I am not sure what will come of it. The boys are 13 and taller than me!

    The word that became mine this year is “Overcomer”. He has taught me a lot about overcoming and the place of trails in life. You’ve been officially updated :). Take care dear friend!

    Katrina

  • Peggy
    October 25, 2014 at 3:04 pm

    OH Amy, you have no idea what a breath of fresh air your words are. I’ve been silent on here far too long… a series of events occurred in the course of the past 2 1/2 years which have brought changes. No its not all bad but too much which can’t be shared because its not all my story to tell and some of the parts are so closely intertwined that there is no way to tell my story without telling someone else’s. But its good… even when its not. The Lord has held me close when all I wanted to do was crawl into a hole and sob, He has taught me that even when all feels lost such is not the case…. all in His time, right?! I am so thankful for a loving husband who has remained beside me and for a Heavenly Father who has never turned his back on me or left me like my earthly father did. Learning how to forgive someone who has died without having been able to say goodbye or telling them one last time that you love them is hard but I am so thankful for the lessons I’ve learned.
    Speaking of fall, a friend of mine calls the autumnal splendor… God’s confetti! Isn’t that just the most beautiful thought ever!! I love it!
    Hmmm winter? As much as I love it, I am also beginning to not enjoy it as much. I need the sun and well it makes my bones ache especially my feet. Yep one of the changes in the past couple of years…. the onset of arthritis… in my toes. I know, crazy! Thankfully there are things which can be done and are being done to counteract it! God has blessed me with a doctor who has literally been an answer to my prayers!
    Love you sweet Amy, please know that even if I am silent, it is not because I’ve gone away its just that well I am silent. Know that I continue to pray for you after all these years of following your blog! I will now add your sweet Colsie to my prayers as well. Love you!

  • Frances
    October 24, 2014 at 8:28 pm

    Glad you can sense that you are coming out of the valley! And, thank you for your encouragement RE the mentor situation. That is something that comes to my attention periodically and I struggle with it. I’ve had wonderful mentors in the past, but they are far away distance wise and I wish I had one here.

    • AmyNewNostalgia
      October 25, 2014 at 8:33 am

      Hi Frances! I understand that longing. I do hope my words encouraged you. When our desires match the Word of God, and we take them to Him, He will provide. Keep praying, & keep your eyes open for possible mentors. Even long distance could work these days with Skype!

      And, when your pursuits don’t pan out, try not to take it as rejection. I had to just tell myself that it was not the right person or time, and was not about me.

      BTW I love seeing that you are doing a 31 days series!

  • Kim
    October 24, 2014 at 7:38 pm

    Amy, winter is such a beautiful season. It makes us slow down and be still. The wonder of creation is evident is the amazing structure of the trees and the winter sunsets cannot be rivaled, when we get snow we are glued to the wonder of it. I love your attitude about winter. It is my favorite season. Fires and books and hot tea. It’s maturity that enables us to accept the season that our Lord puts us in. Love you to the moon!

    • AmyNewNostalgia
      October 25, 2014 at 8:35 am

      Hi My Kim, I cannot wait for tea by the fire at your place and seeing what snow looks like out that window of yours. Weeee! Love you.

  • Melanie Dorsey
    October 24, 2014 at 7:20 pm

    Just sending love and lifting you in prayer even now. God is so very faithful to us and as He reminded me today He waits for our “yes” to enter into the hard places with us.
    I hope you have a beautiful winter season. It sounds like you’re off to a good start.

    • AmyNewNostalgia
      October 25, 2014 at 8:38 am

      I smile every time I see your name and face in the comments. To hear of His faithfulness from someone who knows pain is truly a beautiful thing. I pray your hard place today turns soft soon. Speaking the ‘yes’ with you.

  • julie
    October 24, 2014 at 5:59 pm

    Thanks for the update and the pictures and for being open and helping the rest of us. I am going to try for your attitude for winter. I honestly start to feel depressed and sad just thinking about it. Here in MI we had winter thru April and ten snow days last year! It seemed to last forever. I LOVE fall and am trying to soak up all of the color in preparation for the gray and white day in, day out.

    • AmyNewNostalgia
      October 25, 2014 at 8:43 am

      Isn’t it funny how seasons & weather can change how we feel? It is a very real thing. I have friends who use special lamps (light therapy) to help them get through the long dark winter.

      It is so easy to focus on the long dark winter and the mushy or slick roads & being cold. Join me in looking for the gifts of winter? I plan on counter balancing the cold with all things cozy!

      I know what you mean about fall…so colorful and beautiful.

      Stay warm there in MI…and thanks for commenting!

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