!!!!!

what is it?

it's the feeling of laying in bed, surrounded by my sweet little family; it's the first cup of coffee in the a.m.; it's cardigans; it's the edge of autumnal crisp in late august evenings and early august mornings.; it's rain; it's little weedy flowers strewn all over the house; it's pictures colored by preschoolers hung up every where imaginable; it's new bags sewn; it's planning projects; it's spending time with the family i was born into; it's real & composed music; it's the first hug&kiss attack when daddy is home from work; it's suppertime, listing our thankfuls and talking about our days; it's emma saying "clume" for climbed; it's the way violette wants to be tucked in with "flower" every nite; it's theodore's precious, chunky, slobbery smile; it's my husband's devotion and love for me; it's every tree, rock, flower, & blade of grass; it's the sky, the sun, the stars, the moon; it's the ocean, it's the desert; it's you, it's me. it's the divine.

thursday things!

-lovely photography
-interesting looking pasta pie
-for the harry potter fan knitters
-tips for rising early i've been attempting waking up when brady leaves for work, but so far i've been failing. these ideas seem to be pretty good.
-in case you're bored...
-homemade checkers!
-we're up to season 5 on lost! this is the only show, besides gilmore girls, that i've liked in a very long time.

this is one of the few pictures i've taken that i'm actually pleased with.

been on a really big 90's kick the past few days, it's good stuff.

a few thoughts i've had stewing.

setting my intention: every morning, i've been declaring my intentions for the day. not so much a "to-do list", but more of setting the tone. as of late, i've been focused on respecting all life, and treating every breathing thing with the tenderness i would appreciate all breathing things to treat me with. i've noticed a marked difference in my response to things like red sharpie all over the fridge, a skein of yarn cut up, you know, things children do out of curiosity. i've actually been thankful for these opportunities, so i can test out my new found patience. i keep thinking it's a fluke, it's so hard to have faith in oneself.

academia: a few quotes. i think everyone knows where i stand on the subject :)

"but it is inherent in scholastic thinking that something written down has a greater validity than something said or experienced." - idries shah

"if you want to get laid, go to college. if you want an education, go to the library." - frank zappa

wealth and abundance: always a struggle, but it's really been not sitting well with my being the last few days. how on earth can followers of christ have anything other than contentment and joy in the now? i've read and heard so many greedy christians lately, and it confuses me. i truly believe that the wealth and abundance talked about in the bible has absolutely nothing to do with material things and possessions, and everything to do with love and relationships. you cannot serve both god and mammon! i think mewithoutyou says it best:

"if i come without a thing, i've come with all i need."

friday nite was super fun, save for the bizarre crowd. how can you stand still while the psalters and mewithoutyou are playing? so silly. brady pointed out you can't dance when you have fancy cameras and phones on your person, obviously. mewithoutyou is the best, though. i seriously wanted to put them in my pocket and bring them home. well played and inspired music, hurray! their sufi vibe is pretty good, too. :)

speaking of sufi, i'm reading a fabulous book on the subject: the sufis. well, it's taking me quite some time to finish as i don't have the same kind of allotted reading time as i used to. but i'm getting through it! and every page is totally resonating.

confession: i'm a heavily active participant in marginalia. i underline, write in the margins, edit, what have you. and i'm loving this sufi book so much, well, basically the whole book is underlined.

is there anything better than tracking a package? i think not. i have several books on the way, and i'm obsessively refreshing. (the creative family and the handmade home, both by amanda soule)

well, i'm off to set my timer and work on my bedroom. the flylady and i are on again.

happy monday, friends. beautiful day to you all!

thursday things.

-clever and quite useful housekeeping site
-wonderfully wacky words.
-the best blueberry peach pie. so tasty!
-interesting gal
-one of my favorite photos
-free art!
-one word, go!
-redemption song goodness.
-tomorrow is mewithoutyou & the psalters!!!!

working on a road trip mix for the drive, as the show 2 hours away. what's your favorite road trip song? and maybe tell me your favorite road trip story? i'll surely love it :)

theodore wants you to have a beautiful, smiley day!

family.

birthdays galore!

today is my baby brother's birthday. except he's turning 18 and not a baby at all. i have a habit of telling my siblings they are all my favorite, something i learned from my mama. and they really are all my favorite for different reasons. jed is my favorite because he makes me giggle with his hilarious sense of humor, and because he has awesome hair :) and because he has such a sweet and sensitive heart. so happy birthday, jed, i hope you recognize how special you are to all of us.

today is also our nieces birthday party, a big yearly event. they've got water slides and all kinds of fun stuff, so the girls are pretty excited. and i'm excited because cheri has taken pictures of our family the past 2 years, so i'm hoping to get some cute shots of all of us. i don't think we even have a photo of all of us together with theodore!

if you are the praying kind, please remember my papa today. he is doing the funeral for the baby in the story i posted thursday. it's going to be a hard day for him, i'm sure. he could use all the thoughts and prayers you could spare, as well as the family involved. i've been praying peace, mercy, and compassion towards them all.

i hope everyone has a wonderful today, what are your weekend plans?

the folks in this story go to my family's church. it's just so heartbreaking and sad, there really aren't any words. i've been praying my heart our for their family, but it feels so trivial and trite.

i just keep hugging my babies today, and being so thankful they're here with me.

it seems like i've heard a lot of sadness lately, hopefully that will change soon.

(probably not gonna do a "thursday things", seems a bit awkward at the moment.)

a skoche chilly.

it's nice and foggy and dewy this morning, chilly enough for a light sweater, at least near the window. (perhaps i should turn off the A.C.)

hoodie weather is getting closer. (in reality, 2 months away... but i'm easily excited.) hoodie weather has great meaning for me personally. i fell in love with brady the first cool nite in 2002, october 13th. brady and i made our first home together in tulsa the fall of 2003, it was simple and beautiful and cold, we spent many chilly evenings out on our balcony, wrapped up in blankets. i got pregnant with emma in august 2004, and spent all of that hoodie season daydreaming and preparing to become a mother. late last summer, i desperately wanted a baby, the last baby, my chance to do things just right... all the things i needed to do. cloth diaper from birth, breastfeed until he was ready to wean, basically implement the knowledge i acquired after having the girls. (i know this is not logical, and i'm going to be learning when i'm 50, hopefully i won't have the desire to procreate then!) theodore welcome was conceived on september 2, 2008, at the first hint of hoodie weather.


yet, while fall is nostalgic and sentimental, i anticipate many exciting more years of autumn. now, off to find my hoodie of choice for this year. (and hope it's not in the 100's tomorrow.)

thursday things. (on friday?)

-http://www.happynews.com/
-soulemama's book will be released on the 11th!
-i'm INFJ, what are you?
-light breakfast.
-(getting addicted to lost, thanks to netflix. and i watched the first episode "just to make fun".)

favorite song, ever.




what are you plans for the weekend?

videos.

made a youtube channel today: http://www.youtube.com/knittingmamaful

by its right name.

my great grandmother, effie marie, and me when i was still lauren marie.
(she crocheted that blanket for me, because i am her namesake.)

this snazzy, jazzy lady was a treat. when i was born, i was given her middle name. she didn't go by effie, her chosen name was petie, after a farm helper she followed around and adored as a child. (or so i believe the story goes.)

when i ask to be called effie, it's more than a passing fancy. and i feel rude and ungrateful for not personifying the name my parents chose for me, but lauren just does not fit. i've felt for my whole life that it meant big shoes to fill. "lauren" should be sophisticated, eloquent, graceful, put together. and while i am many things, i am not that.

effie means "melodious talk", which if find more fitting. effie is relaxed, fun, more likely to trip over a flat surface... much like me.

where lauren would be a lovely fur coat, effie is your favorite worn out cardigan. and i'd quite rather be comfy than pretty.

and i feel comfy in "effie". i feel like myself, with no expectations, no standards to meet, just plain ol' effie. and i like it.

"For a moment she rediscovered the purpose of her life. She was here on earth to grasp the meaning of its wild enchantment, and to call each thing by its right name."

(p.s. happy fiftieth post!)

thus saith the lord...

flowers.
Originally uploaded by mama-effie

remember the sabbath day and keep it holy.

enjoying our day of rest:
new flowers and pepper plants; lists; discussions of music and much more; family visitors; sweet tea; leftover chinese food; grocery store; journalling; poems; art box; couch cushion houses; fashion shows with mommy and daddy's clothes; presently tea time.