A small update

Life has been so busy here lately for us. Between church activities, b-day parties, school and homework, piano lesson, chris teaching everyday, me-with my two clients, and doctors appointment, there hasn't been alot of breathing room. We are very excited about this next week coming up. We are trying something at our church(which is completely a home-mission church). It is called a family fun day. We are going to have corn hole, a bouncy house and 500 hot dogs. It's completely open to the public and we are hoping for a great turnout. The Lord has really been blessing our little church and we have seen alot of new people. Our attendance runs between the 20's and 30's. We are praying that God reaches their hearts and they turn their lives over to God.

I have been trying to write something that has been coming to my mind concerning pastor's wives. I was hoping to have it finished, but it's not yet. So hopefully it will be for next week. There are a few different titles that have been coming to my mind and I have been mulling it over in my head.

I am about 28weeks pregnant and growing very well. :-) I've only gained 16lbs. so far which makes me very very happy. Because Joshua was born 4weeks early the doctor wants to start keeping a closer eye on me since we will be nearing that 4wk early mark here very soon. Little Joel is very active and we all can't wait until he makes his appearance. He is now kicking so hard that you can sit and watch him move all over the place. The kids today saw him kicking like crazy and they thought it was so funny. Here is a picture of me at 7mo. pregnant. I thank the Lord so much for His blessings that He gives to me daily, for taking care of us, and constantly showing us that He cares.

~Constance

A Home Or A House

My mind has been wondering the past couple of days with the question- What is a home? I've been looking around my house and sometimes feel very discouraged that it doesn't always seem to have that "everything is in it's place" look. Life is so crazy and hectic and you feel like you need to get up at 4a.m. to get everything done so that way when the rest of the household awakens you will be able to keep up with the small little chores throughout the day. The alarm goes off at whatever time in the morning and in the back of your brain your saying to yourself, "get up, you have to get up." But your body is arguing that you just want more sleep. Then when you finally get up, your frustrated with yourself because your back to square one and life is crazy and hectic and your happy if you can get through the day and have a somewhat straightened up house.

So as I mull over in my mind- My home is not perfect, I don't always look perfect, what is it that I can do? I am a pastor's wife, full time stay-at-home mom, I have a full time job, which I work from my own home. How your home is kept is what defines you as a woman. Is she a messy housekeeper? Is she very neat and clean, but I feel like I can't enjoy myself if I would visit? Is she clean, but doesn't get bent out of shape if someone visits and and something is put out of place?

I want my home to come across to people as being clean, but I also want people to feel very welcomed as they step through my door. I don't want to quietly send out the message that they need to tiptoe around my house because something might get dirty. The difference between a home and a house is this- a house is where people just sleep, but a home is a place where people live and love each other and welcome those who come to their door. I do not want people to come to my house and feel like my house is too nice of a place and they can't relax and enjoy themselves. Life is going to bring you curve balls and your days are not always going to go according to plan. Roll with the balls that are thrown to you. The number one goal should be- Does my home make people feel relaxed and can my family live in this home?  We mothers need to stop focusing on what we didn't get accomplished, but focus on what we did accomplish. Let's always create a home environment instead of a house environment.

Maybe this will help inspire you as it has inspired myself.


~Constance

It's that time of year...

Fall is such a lovely time of the year. It's always so beautiful with the leaves changing and it is an awesome time of the year to take pictures. I took this picture a few years ago. No one lives in this house and it has that beautiful tree to the side of it. Looking at this always makes me feel so peaceful.

This week looks like it's going to be another busy week for us. With my normal household duties, plus there is pto mtgs at school, kids are going camping with my parents for the weekend, I have an extra client during the weekend too and still trying to put things in their places at our new house. I was trying to schedule some photo shoots this week, but it looks like the rain may have something to do with that. It's suppose to rain for the next three days.

It's also that time of year where it is time to clothe your kids for the winter. As I was unpacking, I looked at the kid's clothes trying to decide what it was that they would need for this winter. Since I don't homeshool and my kids go to public school, they have to have tennis shoes for gym which is once a week.  Madelyn loves to wear boots in the winter and so does Joshua. Normally I try to buy a really nice pair of tennis shoes for each child because they will last longer. This year I've decided to try to find their boots on sale by continually looking all the time for my right price and just buy them a cheap pair of tennis shoes at walmart for their gym time once a week. Both of the kids needed socks and I was able to get them a pack (6pairs) a piece at target for $5 a piece. Joshua needed jeans and I was able to find him 3 pairs at garage sales that were in very GOOD condition for $1 a piece. So I just had to buy him a couple more pairs that were $10 a piece. Very rare can I find them cheaper than that. Madelyn- what I try to do for her on skirts is just buy leggings at walmart for $5 a piece and place those under her skirts. By the time we get through the summer, her skirts are getting way too short, but are still in perfec condition. So just had leggings underneath the skirt and she is modest again and you don't have to buy a new set of skirts until spring.  My kids are really hot blooded so I can normally get them short sleeve shirts for $2 or so a piece and I normally just try to go with 5 so that will last them a week.  This year- Joshua's winter coat from last year still fits him (hopefully he doesn't go through a growth spirt) and it is still in very good condition. Madelyn needed a winter coat and I was able to find he a really nice NIKE coat that looks like it's hardly been worn, at a garage sale for $5 and it fits her perfectly.  I think where I'm at now is - Madelyn needs a few more pairs of leggings and her boots, Joshua needs boots and tennis shoes and then I think I'm done with both of them. I even have the baby clothes already through 6mo. old. I don't know if this was inspiring or not, but it inspired me even more as I was writing it.   :-)

A little peak of our house

It has done nothing but rain here for the past few days. Actually since sunday night to be a little more specific. I'm very thankful for rain, but I don't like it every single day. This week has been very very busy. Madelyn and I went out for breakfast at mcd's a couple of days ago before I took her to school. She loved it and so did I. Joshua had only one day of school this week and I left him crying that day. But he did fine and enjoyed it.

I thought that I would post some pics of my house of some of the rooms that I already have put together. Except I don't have curtains up yet because I don't know what I want. I'm the person that I don't want to go out and buy stuff just so I will have something. I'm searching and thinking. I'm also working on shutters for the inside of my living room windows, but the rain is kinda putting that on hold. :-(   I don't know what has happened to blogger, but I'm now able to post and have realized that I missed it alot.

this is my living room

another view

another view. I love those front windows. Right now I'm in the procss of paining indoor shutters for the windows.

I love the fireplace. It doesn't work, but that doesn't matter to me. They kind of make me nervous.

dining room

another view

bathroom. (please excuse the rust stained towel that I did not realize was there)

another view of the bathroom

Finally...

Life has been so crazy for this Dewhurst Family. We have moved to our new house in Wellston, OH, where we can be in the same town as the church that we pastor. We love it here and we are excited at accomplishing great things for God.

The kids have started a whole new school disctrict. They have adjusted pretty well, although our first day with Madelyn was very hard.  I had to leave her crying and then I went to my own car and cried a whole bunch of tears. But after a few days, she has adjusted and loves it alot. Joshua has done well with his new preschool and loves it alot. They both seem to have great teachers that are really nice.

My pregnancy: Things are going pretty well. The baby is fine and we found out that we are having a boy. His name will be Joel Andrew and he is suppose to arrive on Dec. 20th. They are goin to try to induce the week before, but I have a sneaky feeling that he is going to try to come early just like Joshua did, which was 4wks.

I've had alot of problems with blogger not wanting to post any of my postings and that would be why you have not heard from me. It has been incredibly frustrating and hopefully there won't be any more problems. It's been very confusing because alot of you use blogger and you have been posting alot, but I could not get it to publish at all.  Down below are pics of the kids on their first day of school.  Madelyn is in 1st grade and Joshua is in preschool.