Best medicine

Originally uploaded by natshaw30

This us the best medicine I can think of while recovering from getting
my wisdom teeth out. I don’t have the heart to tell him that he isn’t
a lap dog!

Well, he’s cute, he’s crazy and he is still very much a puppy, but he has one small problem… can you see it? Here, look at this picture.

yeah, his ear is always like that, it’s so cute. The poor boy always has his ear stuck up, but only one ear, occasionally two, but hardly ever none.

He also enjoys watching me get ready in the morning. He’ll come to my bathroom window, in the daylight basement, and watch me blow dry and straighten my hair. I took a snap shot this morning.

this was taken in the mirror, so you might think it’s the other ear, but it isn’t.

And finally, fall has arrived here in Poulsbo, so i snapped a quick picture on my phone today. Can you see the leaves changing? So beautiful! my favorite season of all!

that’s all for now, have a great weekend!

Natalie

Educated!

Originally uploaded by natshaw30

Or on my way to being so. Tomorrow I start my 2nd quarter of classes.
Math 99, English 101 & psych 100. I plan on picking up right where I
left off with summer quarter, straight A’s baby! Back to the grind I
go, I will no longer be available from 5-10pm on Tuesday and Thursday,
see you at Christmas!

Busy in the kitchen

Originally uploaded by natshaw30

these are the blueberry muffins that I baked from scratch. The blueberries were fresh from grandma and grandpa’s house, as you can see they were delicious!

Busy in the kitchen

Originally uploaded by natshaw30

Lately I’ve been busy in the kitchen making some good stuff! I made some really good salsa this last weekend, here are the fresh grown tomatoes, onions and peppers just after I got done grilling them. I threw them in the blender with some cilantro, lime and salt
and oh sooooo good! Thanks to my sister for the help!

Been going pretty fast around here lately, I just got home from an amazing road trip to visit my sister in Utah. Deanna and I made it in one shot, no 2 day drive stuff! 16 long, but fun hours. I learned a few things about Deanna, as I’m sure she did about me! Here’s a shot from on the road, I think this is somewhere in idaho…

I’ve been working hard at the church, making videos and getting ready for the fall kickoff. It has felt really good to be back in the video editing realm, I’ve really missed it. It also helps with being reminded with why I am going to school.

Also, we have 2 new puppies that have been keeping us very busy. This is my boy, Patches, is so sweet and loves to be loved on. He is a german short haired pointer mix.

Life has been fun and I feel like I’m making a difference again, that’s a good place to be!

McGee

Originally uploaded by natshaw30

This is our new puppy, isn’t he cute!

Even in the quietness of the night, my mind continues to run through everything going on in my life. Did I forget an assignment that I need to finish? Do I have time to sleep in 15 more minutes tomorrow morning? How will I be able to get gas in my car tomorrow, the take is empty and I just don’t have time? Some are very nominal questions, while others could affect me for a great while. Why would some choose to tell me they see no benefit in being my friend? If I get comfortable with where I am at, what is it going to take to move me? Is it going to be as terrible as the last time? Is God really blessing my life this much? Why?

 It seems as though through this transition that with every God moment, Satan tries even harder to strip it back down and remind me of where I have come from. Now, I don’t mind remembering, that’s good for me; it’s almost as if he is trying to tear me back down again. I won’t let him though; I’m fighting this battle with everything that I’ve got. Satan tries to be so sneaky and tells me that I’m not worthy of the blessings in my life, but I have to rebuke that. He shoves mistakes in my face, like a crème pie, but I have to wipe it off, ignore him and move forward. Forward movement is deceiving sometimes. It can be great to move forward, but what direction are you going? Am I going in a circle? I’m back to where I once was, is this a time of a second chance? That’s how I like to look at it. I feel as though I’m living in my redemption moments. This is a time in my life where I get the chance to go back to a place that I once was, and I before, I screwed up royally. What will I do now?

 Here is what I do. I keep walking forward and maybe this time forward will lead me in the direction that I was intended to go in all along. Maybe God has something so amazing for me that He wasn’t willing to give it to someone else to do. He’s giving me another chance. I know that an office job doesn’t seem like much to most people, but this is huge, this is my chance to follow after God and fight through this opportunity. They always say that the best thing isn’t always the easiest. Who knows, this circle has been so amazing that I’ve made that I can’t help but be grateful for the crap that I’ve been through in order to be who I am. I wouldn’t trade these last two years for anything. Yes, they have been hard, emotional, but very worth it. Thank you Lord for giving me the strength to walk with you through my awful decisions of the past, and thank you even more for your grace and mercy in giving me a second chance. I already know that I’m moving in a different direction in my circle than I did last time. I’m making good decisions about friends, money, and I’m actually doing really well in school. Three big things, and all very different than I did it before.

Well, if you have read this far I’m pretty surprised; this is me sharing what’s on my heart. You might know what I’ve been through and you might not, but either way, keep your chin up and keep moving forward. God is good!

Natalie

I spent this morning and afternoon helping dad build a couple of small retainer walls. Hard work, but it went fairly quickly.

Here is one side before, then the same after and both side finished!

I think it looks a lot better than it did before. Now off to class…!

Once again God has taken me full-circle to bring me back to a place that He once took me from. Maybe it was my pride, or possibly I just needed to learn a few things about myself. I think both are true. Now, I’m not really in a place where I can speak fully into what God has been doing the last few days, but it is amazing to see His grace in my life.

I don’t know if you have stopped lately to thin about the blessings in your life, but I would encourage you to do so. I’ve been so blessed with a family that has been so supportive of me during my ups and downs and everywhere in between. I haven’t always made the best choices, but I’m a work in progress and they understand that. I have been very blessed with multiple jobs that cover all of my bills and keep me in the black each month, not to mention super busy! 

If you have ever been in a place where you think that a door is completely closed and that great part of your life has passed you by because of mistakes you’ve made, just remember the redemption that comes with the cross. God tends to take some to the worst times in our lives and turn them around for His Glory. If/when that day comes… make sure to give Him the Glory, He deserves it all anyways.