The Rosy Life: What is saving my life.

Nothing like a loaded title to make you sit up extra straight, huh?

This post isn't as serious as it sounds, so stick with me.

On Jen Hatmaker's podcast (For the Love) she often ends by asking her guests what is saving their lives. The immediate answer that comes to my mind is Jesus, OBVS. I wouldn't live, breathe, love, or move an inch without him. But the flip side to that question is the simple, the silly, or even the sometimes serious. What things in this crazy thing called life are saving yours?

That's where I want to go today. So much of my life currently I can't go into on the blog, or don't even want to. I still hold the title of mama/foster mama, although differentiating between the two only seems necessary for the rest of the world. The kiddos in my home know me as just plain mama. We still have our little one and will for quite some time. When we jumped to a family of five it was like someone rolled over on the fast forward button and fell asleep, life whizzing by faster and faster. This season finds me with new emotions, new adventures and challenges, and enough to fill a book. Or even two or three. Hardly any of it is able to be contained in small talk or even in words for now. Still I try and I fill up my laptop with the stories of this season, for my eyes and soul only, hidden in the notes section on my Mac.

I will say this adjustment to having three kiddos has meant we are busier than ever, our schedule packed day by day. Each minute carefully disciplined and accounted for. But, there are more than a few things that are saving my life, so to speak. Extra joys tucked in, conversations that play over in my mind, rich things and sayings and quotes that stick in my brain. Here is what is saving my life, the silly and serious both:

Painting/sketching, even if five minutes at a time!

Jen Hatmaker's podcast, For the Love

chewing gum

Lara bars

kombucha

tea, all the hot tea

Dang Good Decaf by Mountainbird coffee

coffee in general

podcasts while folding laundry at night

essential oils in the diffuser

Christy Nockel's album, Be Held

real-life conversations with friends and family

reading at night

Gilmore Girls, over and over

fires (when it's ever cool enough, lol)

the twinkle of the Christmas tree

taking photos with my Nikon

scripture

a warm bath

jammies

clean eating

exercising a few times a week

smiles and "Good Morning!" from the teachers in the car line

baby jabber

baby kisses

time with my big girls, doing big girl things like decorating or painting nails

food prep (saving dinner time, daily)

both silly and serious time with Brett

staying on top of the laundry, house chores, cooking, first!

warm weather (turn the kids loose outside!)

the book Church of the Small Things

the following songs:

Never Once by Matt Redman

No Longer Slaves-Bethel

Oceans-Hillsong

Great are you Lord-All Sons and Daughters

Keep the Light On-Christy Nockels

You have what it takes-Christy Nockels

and one of my very favorites, photo sessions!! I have done a couple and have one scheduled this weekend as well. Here are a few photos of my twin sister's precious family I quickly snapped on Thanksgiving.