Amazing Grace

The Fourth

Fri, 9 Jul 2010 10:08:16 -0500

I love an excuse to eat a lot, particularly summer food. Mama and Daddy came to help us overeat and we celebrated our Independence in great American style. What a great relaxing weekend.
More pictures on the album page.

Being a Schnorrenberg

Thu, 8 Jul 2010 22:32:59 -0500

I mentioned in the previous post that some of our Oklahoma family came for a short visit. I don’t know why I didn’t have my camera out more and I took very few pictures. But I wanted to post a few and share how much I love being a Schnorrenberg, an honor I don’t deserve. I never get tired of spelling it or pronouncing it. I’m too proud to be a part of this very special family.

Jim has a new blog where he is sharing his wisdom. Follow his insightful thoughts here...
http://jimedd71.wordpress.com/

Before and After

Tue, 22 Jun 2010 08:56:59 -0500

This past week, Scott and I made a big push to get some things done in the new house. Scott’s parents and Zach and Staci (youngest brother and darling wife) came to stay with us for Father’s Day. We had a great time. I didn’t get to take many pictures but we loved every minute that we had with them.
I’m sharing a few before and after shots because several people have asked me to. Scott and I are so grateful for the house. We certainly don’t deserve it. We have seen how most of the world lives and we are fully aware and fully humbled that we live like kings in comparison. God continues to teach us through this material blessing that a house does not provide lasting happiness. It can bring some temporal joy but it can also distract us from more important things. Unpacking and painting and repairing have taken us away from the children. We’ve put them aside too much lately. Scott and I have realized how easy it is to neglect what really matters. But we know that it pleases God to give us good things and we hope that we can give him glory through our gratitude.
First the kitchen.....orange walls before, Linen White walls after. We have big plans to move around some of the lighting fixtures and update appliances and window treatments. For now, just changing the paint color has made a dramatic impact.
Then the dining room.....burgundy walls before, Misted Green walls after. I broke a rule about the dining room color. All the experts say that a dining room should be painted a warm color. I might decide they are right. But for now, I like it.

One thing’s for sure, I have a lot to learn about photographing rooms. Any tips on how to get the lighting right? These shots were taken at all times of the day. You can see how light effects color.

It’s long time, Mommy.

Mon, 21 Jun 2010 20:22:23 -0500

Sophie is often left to wait. Wait for a snack, wait to go to the pool, wait in her room. It’s a challenge. She hates to wait. While she waits she asks the same questions again and again.
“Time to go?”
“No?”
“Now time to go?”
“No?”
“It’s long time, Mommy!”
This conversation is repeated many times a day. And to be honest, it’s a stretch to say that it’s a conversation. Sophie usually goes unanswered. If I answered every time, it would not be pretty.
And yet, we are called to wait (and to answer) with patience and joy. We are called to persevere under trials, even the trials of a repetitive five year old. A tiny exercise in patience is a testimony to the condition of one’s heart. As of late, my heart has proven to be quite black. I’ve been about as patient as a newborn screaming to be fed. It’s embarrassing and humbling and frustrating.
Many times the familiar phrases of Isaiah have come to mind...
“But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.”

It takes the supernatural grace of Christ to turn my impatience into gentleness and opportunity. Praise God that I have been given that grace when I most need it.

Where’s the house? There it is!

Sat, 22 May 2010 19:52:36 -0500

We worked outside today from 9 until 6. Scott and Jeff (our friend, our very good friend) cut down 4 trees and a lot of overgrown shrubs. You know someone cares deeply about you when they are willing to do hard labor alongside you in the hot Alabama sun.

After Jeff went home, the whole family continued to work in the yard. I trimmed and the kids picked up the trimmings for hours. Scott mowed and continued to clean up the piles of pruned material. There must be a full dump truck load full of debris from today’s work.

Tonight at dinner, Scott was a little off, literally fuzzy headed because he was so exhausted. About five minutes into the meal, it became hard for me to cut my chicken. The kids were rattling off crazy things out of delirium. Noah was talking about Darth Vader I think and Sophie was saying, “I’m going to die. I’m going to die.”

We’re tired. But the results were worth it. This is before....during...and after.

Our Free Spirit and our Baseballer

Wed, 19 May 2010 07:43:37 -0500

The house is slowly.....slowly coming together. I plan to show some before and after photos soon.
I did want to share a few pictures of two much cuter subjects. Noah is playing baseball for the first time this year. He is really enjoying it and slaying us with his cuteness in his uniform. Sophie likes baseball too. She likes to play with the other kids and eat popcorn during the games. I love seeing her excitement as she runs with abandon toward the playground.
A few weeks ago, I snapped a few shots of our little free spirit while Noah posed for team pictures. It struck me how happy Sophie can be in almost any situation. Like most children, she looks at the weeds and sees flowers. But unlike most kids, Sophie sees happiness in the flowers.
When my eyes are open, I learn so much from these children.

New

Mon, 10 May 2010 13:12:43 -0500

We have a new home. It is beautiful in my dreams. In real life, it is going to be a while. There is painting to be done and yard work to tackle as well as the usual unpacking of boxes. I am still living out of my suitcase because I am scared to open my boxes of clothes that I haphazardly packed. But overall, this house already feels like home.

Noah and Sophie are thrilled to have a house with an upstairs. They love their new rooms. Sophie has been less anxious than we predicted and we are grateful that the change has been easy so far. She has slept well and had only positive things to say about the new house. Last night she asked me when I was going to paint her room. Apparently she doesn’t like the black crown molding and tan walls anymore than I do!

The picture above is one of my favorite features of the house. It’s an old cast iron fireplace in the living room. The fireplace peaks through to the kitchen. I will post more pictures later. I realized that I hadn’t taken any of the front of the house. I do have a picture of the front door....