Family | A Thankfully Imperfect Woman

Jan 6

Temp -33 and a Snowflake Tree to Warm My Heart

Well, if you haven’t heard, it’s been cold here in Minnesota. It’s been REALLY cold up here in Northern Minnesota – this morning we had -33 with a wind chill that brought it down to -50! Did it stop me from running errands? Oh no…hi ho, hi ho, it’s off to PT I go!

Sunday, I finally put away all the Christmas decorations…it only took 7 hours with my daughters help :)! My wonderful, incredible, patient husband brings the bins up from the basement…and carries them down when they’re full!

I decided to do something a little different this year with our Christmas tree. Last year we left the lights on and put the tree on the deck – it was beautiful through the patio doors, especially when it snows! This year we pulled all the ornaments off but kept (and added) snowflake ornaments and we kept it in the living room…it’ll be on the deck when it starts shedding its needles!

Isn’t it beautiful? It almost makes the cold temps outside bearable…almost.

Stay warm everyone! No matter where you’re reading this!

Patty O

Jan 2

17 Comments

One Cha-Cha Step at a Time

This is the year…

The year I take myself back.

Not to anywhere or to anything.

I take back me…control of my life.

Control of who I am. Read more

Dec 25

Merry Christmas from Motzy and Louis!

Look at these two innocent little faces…

Like they’re the sweetest little puppies in the world…

Louis arrived (along with Alex and Tom) on Saturday and the two puppies ruled the house until this morning when the three of them departed for another Christmas get-together. It was 4 days of (controlled?) chaos!

I hope you’ve had a wonderful, crazy Christmas – like the one we’ve enjoyed here!

Best wishes to all – and may God bless you with true joy and love.

Patty O

Dec 14

9 Comments

Witnessing a Story of Faith, Love and Support

What child is this, who, laid to rest, On Mary’s lap is sleeping? Whom angels greet with anthems sweet, While shepherds watch are keeping? This, this is Christ the King, Whom shepherds guard and angels sing:

Haste, haste to bring Him laud, The Babe, the son of Mary. So bring him incense, gold, and myrrh, Come, peasant, king, to own him. The King of kings salvation brings, Let loving hearts enthrone him. Raise, raise a song on high, The virgin sings her lullaby : Joy, joy for Christ is born, The babe, the Son of Mary.

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In this season, this ‘Christ’mas time, may we all stop our fun preparations: the decorating, present buying, wrapping, and cookie making…to reflect on Christ’s birth. The gift God gave us on this day…His Son.

The babe that would grow into a 12 year old child who would sit amongst the elders speaking wisdom in the temple. The young man who, when baptized, was descended upon by the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove and a voice came from heaven, which said, “Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased”. The man who would die on the cross to save us from our sins.

And God, the Father, watched from above. He saw all the joy…He saw all the suffering. He was there through it all…beside His Son.

On our worst days, we may wonder ‘Where is God?’.

He’s watching. He’s waiting. He’s with us, just as He was with His Son.

We just need to have Faith.

I’ve witnessed this show of faith.

First, in my husband’s Grandpa, who passed 12 years ago: Frank was at home, having fought a good fight against cancer. He was in hospice care…and he had faith. In his last weeks he spoke about seeing Jesus there in the room with him. And we knew…He was there. He walked Grandpa home to Heaven…of that there is no doubt.

And in the past few months, an incredible story of courage, faith, and love has filled our small town – pulling it’s people together in a show of support for an incredible young man suffering from leukemia. Read more

Oct 31

Happy Halloween!

Which broom, which broom, witch broom? Ahhhh…decisions…

One of my friends on FB tells the story of her favorite Halloween memory where she always looked forward to going to one house where the woman dressed up as a witch and had hot apple cider she served out of a couldren…how fun is that?

One of my favorite Halloween memories isn’t from my childhood – instead it’s from when Alex was little and she asked if she could wear my ‘antique’ dress for a costume.

Hrmph.

My ‘antique’ dress was about 10 years old, thank you very much. What a little shit. {I say with a chuckle}

Oh…and there’s the time I wasn’t feeling particularly crafty…so I dressed Sam in a dinosaur costume I’d found secondhand and put a tutu over it and a crown on her cute little head.

She wasn’t thrilled. But God was she cute! (And yes, notice that once again, Alex posed…I think she was born posing!)

And then there’s Miss Gabi…

My favorite costume of hers was when she dressed up like Hershey, our sweet little old chocolate lab (God rest his soul). She even took him with her trick-or-treating in our neighborhood!

I think my favorite costume EVER may have been the year I dressed Sam up as Raggedy Ann…she was ADORABLE! See…

Alas, the girls trick or treating years has passed. Our rule is once you hit 7th grade – you’re too old. Yes, our kids loved that rule. {sarcasm} Now Gabi gets to join us in handing out candy to all of our favorite little people!

So, what’s your favorite Halloween memory?

Patty O