On The Threshold of Letting Go

On The Threshold of Letting Go
Raising kids is hard work, letting them spread their wings and fly is sometimes even harder!  I've been a stay at home mom for 18+ years.  Though my kids started out in public school, we have homeschooled for the past 6 years.

Now, here I am with my oldest about to graduate from high school.  I've been home with him from day one.  That's a lot of time together!  Some may think that after all of these years, 3 kids, homeschooling, and not working outside of the home that I would be looking forward to a break.  That's far from true!  I thought I would be easing into the letting go process, and in a way I have.  Kaehlen (my senior) started Vo-Tech this year, which has him away from home for a few hours every day Mon-Fri.  But then, not long after my daughter turned 16, she decided to get a job.  It just so happens that she and Kaehlen decided this at the same time.  So, all of a sudden, I was having to adjust to not just one, but two kids working away from home.  This may not seem like a big deal.  But let me tell ya, it was a struggle!  

Suddenly adjusting to just one kids at home was interesting.  Even though my kids don't do a ton together things were a bit more quiet.  Just the idea of my youngest being the only one home was enough to make him feel more lonely.  Then there was the whole cooking for three instead of five bit.  You'd think that would have made things easier, but with our special dietary needs it really didn't.  I was left with one with very specific needs, one who can make due as long as it's not all the time, and one who is very picky and has a hard time with certain meats.  

Let's just say that life continues to be interesting and ever changing.  These changes help me to cherish the moments we have to sit at the dinner table as a family even more, even if that is just once a week.  And those family nights we used to have on Friday's...well, those are becoming less and less (at least with all 5 of us), which means we do what we can with whoever happens to be home and enjoy the moments we have together.

I've always heard it said that time goes fast and before you know it your kids will be leaving home.  Yep, that's true for sure!  The other day I was watching one tired pregnant momma chase a little toddler around and I thought, "that seems like just yesterday!"  Yes, time certainly flies by.

I've said for a long time that I won't be a good empty-nester.  Though I have a ways to go for that to happen...I'm still thinking it's going to be true. lol With that being said, I just want all you mommas to know that I get you.  I'm here to help support you along the way.  If you'd like to join a support group of other moms working together on this journey, please check out this free group and let me know how I can help.
Join our HomeGrown Homestead community—a place where we learn, grow, and share our homesteading journey together, fostering a bond of shared wisdom and experience. (everyone is welcome!)
Step into Lavender & Coffee: A Sip of Serenity, a haven for moms seeking support and community on their journey to fulfilling their roles as wives and mothers with grace and purpose.(for moms only)

A Mission To Support Women Around The World

A Mission To Support Women Around The World
A couple of weeks ago I was invited to an online Trunk Show.  I really didn't know what it was all about, except that they had some beautiful jewelry!  As I saw the posts show up in my newsfeed I quickly realized that there was way more to this than just jewelry.  In fact, it was jewelry with a mission behind it!  

So, here's a little bit about this amazing company:
Noonday is a fair trade fashion brand, creating jobs for people around the globe. Just this past season you could find Noonday pieces featured in InStyle, WhoWhatWear, Oprah’s favorite things and more! Along with having a beautiful collection, we believe in the power and dignity of creating job opportunities for people in vulnerable places.  Our pieces are all fair trade and crafted by hand from Artisans from around the world! Each piece is unique and has a beautiful story behind it. 

I quickly decided that this was a mission I can fully support.  Instead of simply making a purchase (one of the ways to help make an impact) I chose to become an ambassador so that I can help spread the word and make an even bigger impact.  If you would like more information, please visit this site.  

As I briefly mentioned above, there are a few ways you can help in this mission.
Shopping our collection is a great way to help support not only the artisans who make it, but their families too! 
By hosting a trunk show you can earn rewards and help create a growing market place for the artisans to sell their pieces.
Or join as an ambassador and make an even bigger impact!  Did you know that, on average, one noonday ambassador helps support three artisans??  That's a pretty big impact!

By supporting this mission, you aren't only impacting the lives of so many around the world, you are also helping to support my family as we strive to help others in need and share this mission with others.

If you would like more information, please join my VIP group where I will share new products, education, and more!
Join our HomeGrown Homestead community—a place where we learn, grow, and share our homesteading journey together, fostering a bond of shared wisdom and experience. (everyone is welcome!)
Step into Lavender & Coffee: A Sip of Serenity, a haven for moms seeking support and community on their journey to fulfilling their roles as wives and mothers with grace and purpose.(for moms only)

Why Lavender & Coffee?

Why Lavender & Coffee?
One question I was asked a lot when I was setting up my blog was, “why lavender and coffee”? 

Lavender

If you have seen much of my blog, you’ll know that I love essential oils. One of the main ones that got me hooked was lavender. Not only did it help us with our seasonal allergies, it is also known as the swiss army knife of essential oils. Any time we have a bite, wound, or burn, we reach for the lavender. It is great for the skin and is also widely known to be a calming scent. We use it in our diffuser every. single. night. It is also one of the main essential oils we use in the Aroma Freedom Technique.  You can read more about that here. 

As you can see, lavender has quite the roll in my family. We always have it on hand ready to use. And after being to the lavender farm in Mona, let me tell ya, it’s quite the site to see and it smells amazing! 


Coffee 

Ahhh, there’s nothing quite like a hot cup of coffee first thing in the morning. It’s also great later in the morning, early afternoon, or with an evening dessert. You get the idea. Basically, I love my coffee! There’s nothing I love more than to sit down with a cup of coffee and chat with a loved one. So, why coffee? Because I want everyone who reads my blog to feel like a welcomed guest. Come in, pull up a chair, and enjoy a hot cup of coffee as we get acquainted with one another. 
Join our HomeGrown Homestead community—a place where we learn, grow, and share our homesteading journey together, fostering a bond of shared wisdom and experience. (everyone is welcome!)
Step into Lavender & Coffee: A Sip of Serenity, a haven for moms seeking support and community on their journey to fulfilling their roles as wives and mothers with grace and purpose.(for moms only)

Why I Chose Young Living

You may have noticed that I use essential oils in a lot of my recipes, tips, and daily life. How did I choose which essential oils to use? Why did I choose this brand? I’m glad you asked! 

Before deciding on which brand to use I had dabbled with various brands, never quite achieving the desired results. After being introduced to Young Living, I saw almost immediate results for one thing after another. During the first month alone the 11 (at the time) essential oils that came in my premium starter kit had helped over 20 different things we had been dealing with. I was not only amazed, but I realized right then and there that this was the best of the best! 

 

Top 5 reasons I love Young Living 


Here are the top 5 reasons I truly believe Young Living is the best of the best: 

  1. 1. Young Living is the only essential oil company that owns their own farms or partners with other farms who also live up to their standards for growing, harvesting and distilling. 

  2. 2. Young Living has a Seed to Seal program, which allows them to deliver pure, authentic essential oils and essential oil-infused products that you and your family can use with full peace of mind. There are three pillars in seed to seal, Sourcing, Science, and Standards. Read more about it here. 

  3. 3. Anyone can visit the Young Living farms around the globe and participate in the harvest & distillation process. This is an amazing experience! No other essential oil company owns their own farms and can offer this opportunity. 

  4. 4.  There are no minimum sales or purchase requirements for Young Living members. Ever. The only thing you have to do to keep your membership active is to place $50 in orders per year. I have never been a part of another company like this who did not require a monthly purchase. 

  5. 5. Last but not least, our team offers amazing support! We offer a reference guide (with tips on how to use it), educational classes, and an exclusive facebook group that offers lots of support and community. Join our team here! 

Join our HomeGrown Homestead community—a place where we learn, grow, and share our homesteading journey together, fostering a bond of shared wisdom and experience. (everyone is welcome!)
Step into Lavender & Coffee: A Sip of Serenity, a haven for moms seeking support and community on their journey to fulfilling their roles as wives and mothers with grace and purpose.(for moms only)

Galatians 2:20 Custom Designed Mug

Galatians 2:20 Custom Designed Mug
One thing I love about Lavender & Coffee is that we are able to create things for our valued customers by giving them a product that tells a story.  

The story behind our Galatians 2:20 mug has such a powerful meaning. 
From our customer:
This cup is a memory and a testimony for the generations to which it will witness to God's steadfast love, redemptive power, grace and mercy!  It's also an open door to conversation when someone comes to my house and I let them drink from that cup...it becomes a door to share the Gospel that saved my soul!  It's also a reminder to me when I drink from it of God's grace and love to know and how I have been crucified with Christ (which on those extra hard mom days when I'm spent, I learn to say no to myself, die to myself, and say yes to the Lord and love not from myself but from His Power in me.)  It's a sweet reminder that I do not live for me, but for Him and by Him.

She went through a time in her life when she was searching for the truth.  She began to ask herself "why Christ? Why Christianity?" She then began to ask“why are there so many  churches?”  She started seeking Truth based on the Bible alone, bouncing in and out of congregations looking for people who were practicing what she read in the Bible (looking firstly at whether they added anything as their authority like certain man made creeds and such or if they only lived by God’s Word. Then looked next to be sure the doctrine of salvation was biblical—because if this foundation is not there, nothing else will matter).

Her eyes were opened and she made her way to the watery grave, raised in the newness of Christ!  

Wow! What a powerful testimony!  We were so happy to help her vision for this verse become a reality on the mug that was designed with this story in mind.  Now, every time this mug is used, the wonderful news of redemption is shared!  

If you would like to study more about what it means to enter the watery grave, how to make your election sure and what it truly means to give your life over to Christ, please feel free to contact us!  

You can purchase your Galatians 2:20 mug here! 
Join our HomeGrown Homestead community—a place where we learn, grow, and share our homesteading journey together, fostering a bond of shared wisdom and experience. (everyone is welcome!)
Step into Lavender & Coffee: A Sip of Serenity, a haven for moms seeking support and community on their journey to fulfilling their roles as wives and mothers with grace and purpose.(for moms only)

 
Read Older Updates Read Newer Updates