teenagers, the kardashians & how i do what i do

 

a couple posts ago i received the following comment...

Anonymous said...

"I love your blog. I love your family because of your blog. You seem to have raised unbelievable girls. I am so impressed....ALL THE TIME. And I am faithfully trying to raise my own Christian children.
What I dont understand is how one of your kids said they would want to live with the Kardashians???
And it's not so much that they named a pop culture family...but how? Do you let them watch that show? I am actually very curious. It seems so hard these days to raise decent kids. And you really seem to be doing it. But do you all have People magazines around the house...OK Magazine and all that junk? Do you let your kids watch TMZ and such shows? I am so confused. I do not let my kids watch that junk. I will NOT let them watch shows such as Glee. How can I teach them one thing, but then let them watch that type of smut? The same goes for the Kardashians to me. So do your kids just kind of "know" about that family from the media...and love them because they have 3 girls and are similiar to you all? (Cuz that is where the similarities would end!!! They are as far from a Christian family as I can tell....or at least they act like it!)
So can you let me know how you monitor magazines, tv shows, books, pop culture with your kids?
Thanks for being so open and honest on your blog. It helps me get through my weeks and helps me be a better person. I have never written to you before. This comment from Em about the Kardashians (and your comment about it) just really really stummped me!!"

 

i've spent some time over the last few days thinking about an answer for her

& let me also say, thanks for asking. i'll try to humbly explain my decisions.

let me first say something~~~

 i hope i never ever ever

 give anyone reason to believe that i think i'm a rockstar

awesome mom.

i'm a type A , first born female

raising 4 females

& only by the grace of god are we where we are today.

it's not me alone...i can assure you.

i fuss, over react and often times my attention is on this computer

more than on them.

yes it's true. 

secondly, there's a super tiny, fine, arbitrary line

in my writing that i try not to cross.

i share basically everything but our social security numbers

but i will not share my girls faults or failures

bad attitudes or mistakes here on my blog.

(unless completely approved by one of them, but even then that's rare)

we'll keep that private.

 i will however, share their accomplishments & their daily victories here.

while i'm as real as i can be,

i'm well aware that sharing "the good" may sometimes give you the perception

that things are always smooth sailing.

& honestly, most days they are,

but not always.

we live in a culture where as parents we can easily be eaten alive by

guilt

& 

my desire

is to encourage you in your relationships with your children

not make anyone feel guilty.

honestly, we do that enough to ourselves don't we?

we don't have a zillion rules around here.

i have high expectations, but not hard & fast rules.

& dan and i taper expectations per each girl.

my girls however know where i stand

on premarital sex

underage drinking

and a few other biggies.

i am in no way, wishy washy.

ok...back to the kardashians.

sorta.

yes, i allow my teenager to watch some of the kardashian show.

yes i think that one sister has a horrible mouth & is horrid to her mom.

i have no idea what TMZ is.

no i do not purchase OK or People but yes i read People
(while in the check out line at Publix)

along with a vast array of different publications.

 i feel it is very important to be culturally relevant

especially while raising teenagers

( & my hubby is a highschool assistant principal-he totally needs to be in the loop!)

&  yes, as my girls get older,

part of my parenting philosophy

is that i prepare them for the stage my savannah currently is in...

as parents, we are ultimately preparing them to leave the nest.

( sadly)

so, that means that at certain times

for certain issues

as i see fit for each child

i begin to give them more & more space

more & more grace

more & more chances to make their own decisions

while still guiding them

this also instills in them that i trust them...

my deep thinking is pretty much currently on overload

as i prepare for the pearl event

but i will gladly answer a few of the questions that i often times receive in some upcoming 

posts.

i'll try to distinguish in the title so for those of you who think , "what a joke"

that way, you can easily pass on by. smile.

may i also ask, & ask this kindly.
blogging is not for the faint of heart.
it's a brave move for the bloggers that expose themselves
& their personal beliefs.
so having said that, may i please ask that if you have something snarky to say
please choose to not too.
while this is indeed a public blog,
i pour my heart & soul & large amount of time and prayer goes into
every single post.
i've never left an anonymous, rude or ugly comment to anyone.
i'm just humbly asking for the same.
thank you

~~~

i'll close with one of the verses i've prayed over my girls since savannah was first born

ephesians 3.14-19

When I think of all this, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth. I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. 

And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.

My launch party for Noonday & 1,000 images

 

i had no idea what to expect for my first noonday party.

i wondered will my friends come?

will they like the jewelry?

will the stories of the artisans resonate with them?

will they notice my dirty windows?

you know...all those nervous thoughts.

i had two shows that day, with one in the morning

& then one later that evening to try to accommodate all schedules.

my savannah drove in from athens with some of her sweet friends.

for them to make the road trip, on a school night, meant the world to me.

we met up for a quick piece of pizza before the evening party.

my family was so sweet & encouraging

offering to help in any way possible.

my girls often times wearing my jewelry pieces to school.

 

i even found a note that little bit left on her desk...

a reminder to take her precious teacher one of the look books.

 

i tried to purchase as many pieces as i could 

to give my friends a nice selection to see in person

& play dress up with.

i love decorating so styling for the event was super fun for me.

i took several of my frames , lined the inside with burlap

& then had dan secure various door knobs & such.

i also had several pieces that i don't use in my everyday decor 

but i still love & enjoyed pulling them out & using for display.

since the stories behind the pieces are what i truly love about noonday,

i printed several of the artists pictures & had them, along with their personal stories,

beside the pieces.

 

i also added a few images of jessica, the founder

& her newly adopted son Jack from Rwanda too.

i mentioned earlier that i'm hoping to pick a piece from noonday

each week & share the story behind it.

wearing a piece of jewelry that was handmade, fair trade,

by someone tyring to make a better life for themselves,

in another part of the world

that you & i may never be able to visit

is being an advocate for them.

being a voice for the oppressed is not only biblical

but  is walking out the gospel.

today i want to introduce you to Andinet

"the necklace shown below is handmade by artisans in Ethiopia using recycled metal beads and melted-down war weapons.
This necklace is truly a statement piece.
Genuine silver embellishments are made by a local silversmith. Each of these spectacular beads is a unique piece of artwork. Loop-tie closure.
This piece is handmade in Ethiopia using recycled nickel, copper, and bronze melted down from previous war weapons.
Most of the artisans who created the pieces are HIV positive and receive healthcare and literacy training in addition to job training.
Not only are they are learning a skill, but they are learning that their life matters. "

both the parties were great fun for me
( sorry i don't have actual pictures from the events).

i also want to thank so many of you who have sent

countless emails & words of encouragement.

notes & facebook images of the pieces that you've purchased!

please know that YOU are being a voice for them

for the andinets & jalia's & corals

the faces that represent so so so many...

when you purchase, wear, pray for, give to them.

not that in any way is noonday the only way to do that...

it's just one of so many ways to love others & share the hope of the gospel.

at the risk of sounding cliche or corny

or whatever you might call it

i consider it quite an honor to wear a handcrafted item

by andinet, jalia or coral...
any & all of them,
quite an honor!

{{ps--i am having a load of issues with blogger. for some reason word verification is showing up for ya'll despite the fact that i have it set so anyone, even anonymous can comment. ugh.
also, hearing that my email subscribers are not receiving emails when i post.
i have no idea what's going on....}}

~~

matthew 25.34-40

“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in,I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you?When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

“The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’

~~~

"The splendor of a King, clothed in majesty
Let all the earth rejoice
All the earth rejoice"

chris tomlin

birthdays, salons, sorority events & such

 between valentines day & the first week of april

we celebrate three of the girls birthdays

valentines day

my birthday

& our anniversary...

and this year, throw in a Pearl Event & a half marathon too!

savannah came in town the weekend prior to her birthday.

we grilled steaks & enjoyed just hanging out with her.

no offense to her friends, but since no one else was in town

we got her all to ourselves.

 

which included shopping for cowboy boots.

surprisingly we didn't get kicked out.

a quick run through anthropologie & free people.

 

& shopping for trevor the perfect bow tie.

nothing says preppy southern frat boy like a seersucker bowtie! 

seriously.

valentines week was pretty busy with a photo session & the launch party

( which i can't wait to share with ya'll too)

caroline & i whipped up what will be the last valentines day box we'll make in our home.

sniff.

 

 we sat around & played table topics, the family version.

great game by the way!

to the above question,

madi chose the royal family

caroline chose justin beiber's family

& em chose the kardashians. shocker.

hello to completely defining each of my girls in a nutshell!

dan totally surpirsed me with a gift card for a day at the spa

at key lime pie!!

THE coolest spa/salon here in atlanta

( in my opinion)

& currently featured in the latest issue of where women create.
i'm planning on saving that as a post race treat!
( & by the looks of the above photo, i might need to splurge on a manicure too)

 

 saturday was mom/daughter day at smk's sorority.

the event was watching the Gym Dogs perform!

i love driving to athens & especially love driving down milledge & seeing

all the sorority and fraternity homes.

this one isn't savannah's but it's one of my faves & i was sitting at a red light... so there.

 

the pearl event is officially sold out!

if you have a minute, i highly encourage you to read 

sibi's latest beautiful post.

wow...that's just all i can say is wow.

her heart to love on & encourage women

is like none other.

& since i'm all over the place today

i thought i'd go wild & share unrelated screen captures.

during Passion 2012

christy nockels was sporting THE coolest tunic.

ever.

 

i tweeted about "the" tunic

which incidentally made it on to the live twitter feed.

(bottom right. thank you very much)

followed up with a tweet from big mama

who is the knower of all things fashionable & cool

& she said...."looks like free people to me".

why didn't i think of that.

of course.

so...hopefully coming soon i'll score one of these beauties

(sadly i'm not the tiny size of christy so i might look more like a tent wearer, however...)

don't you love it!

& finally....

the winners of the Make Something Beautiful Ecourse

are 

gina

& debby!!

congratulations!

i'll send your names to teresa & then i'll let ya'll email her via the link on her site!

~~~~

"And on that day when my strength is failing
The end draws near and my time has come
Still my soul will sing Your praise unending
Ten thousand years and then forevermore"

matt redman