Conforming to fact and therefore worthy of trust, reliance, or belief...

I am a terrible blogger. Seriously, I am.

There are some days that are SO hard for me to even function as a human being, that my commitment to writing feels like an unreachable task.
Cushings Syndrome sucks. It does.  there is no easy way around it.  There is no real cure.  There are herbs and oils that are helping to lessen my symptoms, BUT no matter what I am doing to counteract the effects of the over production of cortisol, if I am adding STRESS, nothing is going to help.

This season = stress.

Stress from being the only adult that is parenting my children during this season.
Stress due the only intelligent conversations that I am having on a daily basis, occur with a 6 a 5 and a 1 year old.
Stress because when the man I love works more than 80 hours per week, the last thing he wants to do is deal with a crying, tired child, or a crying tired wife.
Stress because I feel like a failure as a follower of Christ. I know that I should just trust the Lord to take control and take care of us.  But, the exhaustion of this disease is REAL.  The emotions are REAL.  The work is REAL.
To many, I look normal.  I can muster up enough "pretty and poise" to go out in "public" and seem put together. I'm not
. 

This. Season. Sucks.

We all have them.

I know that we all have  crummy seasons in life. I know that every single person in this world does NOT live an instagram perfect life. Sometimes, I wish that more people would commit themselves to living an honest, authentic life. To portray their TRUTH via social media, instead of a fantasy.


 Dont get me wrong, everyone deserves to have a fantasy. Shoot, in my fantasy, I would look the way I looked 10 years ago, my children would be perfectly behaved and my husband would leave his job and wisk us all off to a week in Disney World! But, as awesome as that sounds. (man a week at Disney is SO needed right now) It is NOT my TRUTH.

My truth is this:
My name is Danielle
I love Jesus.
I live in a small, small, small town on a gorgeous apple farm.
I am married to the most wonderful man and he is my best friend. He works day and night to provide for our family.
I have 3 precious gifts from the Lord.  They are smart, and funny and loving...and crazy, and exhausting and hard.

I am committed to giving my children a life full of love, and faith and exploration and truth.
I don't have the outward appearance that I would like to have, but I am content with who I am.
I am always tired.  I am always dreaming. I am always wishing that I could be whisked away to someplace fantasmical.
But, when the day is done, I am Danielle, I love Jesus and I love my family.

We were meant to live this life in community with others. HOW can we find a community of others LIKE us, if we are not being authentic with our portrayal of ourselves?

I challenge you to be real.  Be You. Be tired.  Be natural. Be messy-haired. Be yoga pants and tank top. Be YOUR TRUTH.

This is me, right now, 4:30PM on Tuesday.  Yoga pants, tank top, no make-up, bags under my eyes. But what you can't see in the photo, is that I have an adorable baby at my feet, an inquisitive 5 years old chatting with me while I type and a smart 6 year old laying on the couch reading. Truth, may not be pretty, but it sure is BEAUTIFUL to me.

Use Social Media to help create authentic community. Don't contribute to the illusion of "perfect".

This season, is a season of TRUTH.



{beBlessed} and have a GREAT day.

Brown paper packages, tied up with strings...AUGUST FAVORITE THINGS!!!

August Favorite things!

1.        My Mom! (Happy Birthday!)

2.       My niece Lillian! (Happy Birthday!)

3.       Bubba cups- seriously this cup is amazing. 34 oz. at a time and the straw (you can get extras) is washable and durable and perfect for smoothie sipping!

4.       Pink pens

5.       Summer storms

6.       VACATION

7.       Dave Ramsey.  This man has changed our lives.

8.       Kristin Schmucker. I have never met Kristin, but our online interactions have been genuine, real, truthful and special.  I have been blessed to have “found” her and you could be too!  www.kristinschmucker.com  she speaks truth and makes pretty things to go along with it!

9.       Forgiveness

10.   Grace

11.   Rest

12.   YOUNG LIVING! I know that I have my YLEO on every one of my lists, but seriously people,  the longer I use these amazing gifts from God, the more I see and FEEL the difference they are making in my life.  (www.youngliving.com   I am distributor # 1401485)

13.   God’s promise

14.   School supplies! (Home schooling is simply the greatest!)

15.   Smelly markers

16.   Chart paper

17.   “Prah-jecks” (spoken with the BEST 4 years old vernacular possible)

18.   Singing babies

19.   The Lego Movie. (seriously, it is entertaining.  I was a skeptic.  Like, HOW could an ENTIRE movie be about little block head people and their removable arms?  WATCH it…Everything is AWESOME!)

20.   Beautiful  fruit growing on these trees.

21.   Garden Fresh veggies

22.   SMOOTHIES

23.   MY HUSBAND! (Happy Birthday!)

24.   Women of Faith! (If ya’ll have never been to a WofF conference…YOU HAVE MISSED OUT! This is the weekend that I look forward to ALL YEAR! You will feel ALIVE, EXCITED, REJUVINATED and LOVED…plus this year, Natalie Grant, Matthew West, Sheila Walsh, Patsy Clairmont, Lisa Harper and MORE will be HERE, in Rochester, NY, to share their hearts with YOU!!! Ticket’s are still available, contact me if you would like the contact info of our amazing event coordinator)

25.   The Bible

26.   My supportive, loving friends

27.   My family. Not just the 5 of us…but my extended family. I love you all so much and we don’t see each other enough and when we do…it is TRULY special.

28.   Road trips

29.   The UNITED STATES OF AMERICA! (Seriously, ya’ll, let’s love on OUR country again. We may not agree with the politics and people enforcing them, but THIS COUNTRY IS OURS…WE can initiate the CHANGE!)

30.   Hampton Inn beds

31.   Yellow Gold (yes…I’m back to that again.)

32.   HEDUA ( a GREAT spot for Home Educators to “meet” up, learn from, share with and subscribe to their awesome magazine)

33.   The Well-Planned Day planner.  ( I LOVE this concept! I use the lesson planner and blog planner. They are my catch all for organizing EVERYTHING. If I had found this book while still teaching public school…I would have used it for my plans…it is THAT good.)

34.   Dressing your Truth ( I have always been pretty savvy in my personal presentation choices.  Consistently wearing “on-trend” outfits and fashionable accessories, make-up and hair styles. HOWEVER, since leaving the “professional” world and not having to “dress up” anymore, I have been more comfortable “experimenting” with my style. I came across a blog post by Carol Tuttle and explored further to find her “Dressing Your Truth” program. Lo and Behold…the “comfortable-experimental” style I had been going with…really was MY TRUTH. No wonder I feel uncomfortable and out of place when I try to present myself as being “professional and put together”…I am not representing MY truth. This program has taught me so much about perception, comfort and knowing MYSELF.)

35.   Kate Monroe. (Kate is a beautiful soul. A beautiful woman. A breathtaking photographer and a lover of the Lord. She is real. She is inspiring. www.katemonroe.com)

36.   Adoption. (some of you know how much my heart yearns to become a Mama to another child. Please pray for us, pray for a birth Mama to think of us, Pray for guidance and truth as we walk this rocky path)

37.   The Eye Doctor. (I am going next week. I had a HUGE realization, as we were driving across the country…I think I may need to wear my glasses all the time. And…whoa…I think I may need a different prescription.  I couldn’t read the road signs until I was right up next to them.  I think my days of awesome , huge vintage Hollywood sunglasses are over. )

38.   Fashionscents.( I can wear my YLEO with beautiful jewelry! www.fashionscents.com)

39.   John Deere.(well, not really. But my little boys sure do love John Deere.  We visited the John Deere Pavillion and store in Moline, Illinois. The boys had a FABULOUS time. I made a new friend. [the store manager who happens to be a former New Yorker] and can now order DIRECT for a fraction of the price! Amen, right?)

40.   Vacation Bible School (we did things a bit differently this year and spent a jam packed FULL weekend learning about David and Esther. The weekend wasn’t JUST for the kids.  I feel refreshed and renewed in my faithfulness.)

41.   Fluorescent Colored Pencils. (you read that correctly. They are awesome. They are perfect for Bible writing and they are ALL MINE. [no munchkin sharing of these])

42.   Weekly Bible study. (Necessary. Scheduled. Time with other Christians to discuss the word.  I HIGHLY recommend finding a weekly study in your area.)

43.   My daily bible study time. (Oh, how I LOVE my time in the word.)

44.   {beBlessed} Women’s Ministry ( this ministry is my baby…and it is GROWING. My heart is listening to God, and He is telling it to keep offering His word to women. You can find {beBlessed} on Facebook and if you are interested in attending a {beBlessed} event, you can comment here, email me or send me a message via facebook.)

45.   John Holt (I am reading a book written by John 33 years ago regarding the education system and the gift a parent can give a child via homeschooling. It AMAZES me how SPOT ON this man was…so many years ago!  Teach Your Own:  The John Holt Book of Homeschooling)

46.   The book of Ruth ( every time I read this book, I find something new, special or different that applies to my life)

47.   Younique Mascara (this stuff is RIDICULOUS!  3D fiber lashes. Natural. AMAZING)

48.   Pocket charts (it has been a long time since I have used pocket charts in my classroom. It was time to resurrect them. And I love it.)

49.   Smiles from a stranger (have you ever received a real, genuine smile from a stranger? I’m not talking about the forced smile, or social pleasantry, I mean a REAL smile.  One that is intended to make you feel GOOD, to show love for the human race and to let you know that, “Hey, we are all brothers and sisters in Christ, we should love each other.”  THAT is a smile I like to receive.

50.   My Great Aunt Edith (small but mighty is the best way to describe this little bundle of fire. She is 94 years young, and last weekend had as many of her family members possible, present to celebrate her and the life she truly LIVES. She “gets it” folks. Love the Lord, Love your family, keep both of them closer to you than anything else, and you will TRULY. BE. HAPPY.)

{{beBlessed} and have a GREAT day...and weekend!!!

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