More Love Letters

     I wanted to just take a second to tell you about an awesome site I came across. It is called More Love Letters.   If you know me, you know that (sometimes, despite my crappy attitude) God made me to be an encourager. As a teacher, I love seeing the look in a kid's eyes when they realize that they can do something they didn't know they could do before. I love doing random acts of kindness. I love seeing people succeed, getting good things that they deserve, getting good things they DON'T deserve (grace- it's a wonderful thing!), or seeing my kids encourage someone. I'm so weird (as Matt calls me.. lol) that I even like seeing a stranger's day turn into a better day. Well, there's an amazing woman named Hannah Brencher who I think I would get along with really well. She began the More Love Letters site with the realization that she could bless other people through her letters- using encouraging words to lift the spirits of total strangers, using her own experiences to help people who are experiencing similar things, blessing others.  Since I found this site, I've been writing notes to all kinds of random strangers through their request section.
     I also thought that maybe I should write in to see if Timmy might be able to receive some encouragement for his upcoming school year. Last year he had a really negative year. Don't get me wrong, I love his school, but last year was just awful. Well, MLL chose him as one of the recipients of the letters.
     He has no idea about this yet, but he has over 20 letters so far from as close as Quincy, MA and as far away as New Zealand. As a facilitator of the letters, I have to read them to make sure they are appropriate, etc.  I cannot even tell you how touched I am by each letter. The encouraging words, the decorations and stickers, the art- they're all awesome and I CANNOT WAIT to give Timmy the letters. I know that these words will set themselves in his heart and give him courage. I may share some on the blog here after I have given them to him. In the meantime, I'd love if you'd go check out her site and maybe even send some letters out. If you're not usually a letter writer, it doesn't take eloquence, just a little time and effort to make someone's day a little sweeter. Spread this site around too.
     If you are reading this and you are a MLL writer- THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!

Bible study

Other...

    So, most of you who know me know that I attend church, but you may not know too much about my faith. There have been some times where I have shared my faith in Jesus and other times where I have been quiet so I don't cause a stir with anyone- even though I have openly talked about things God has done in my life. I wanted to share with you a Bible study group that I have been involved with for the past 2 studies. Perhaps if you have wondered where God is in your life and want to know "what's up with all the God stuff," maybe you could check out the study. 
    It is called Hello Mornings and the basic jist is that you are involved in a group online whom you check in with daily. Each morning you start your day reading the Bible passage. Sometimes I have just read, other times I've done some pretty in depth studying- it depends what you'd like. It also encourages you to exercise too but, honestly, I seem to be able to do 1 or the other when the school year starts.  There is no pressure if you're not checking in by a certain time, etc. You can participate as much or as little as you want. I thought I'd share with you because the group I'm in this rotation has been a great blessing. The women in the group are from all over the US and a few in Canada.
    The study this rotation is about the book of Ephesians in the Bible. The book of Ephesians was actually a letter written by the apostle Paul to the church in the city of Ephesus (now in Turkey).  If you get involved and have any questions, please feel free to message me- I'm not a Bible scholar but I can answer some questions and have some resources for some of the tougher ones!  If you have never experienced the hope of Jesus Christ, I hope that you will consider at least visiting the page to see if you might be interested in the study or reaching out to someone who can share with you.
    Blessings!

366 update

The 366 Project:

Received: 45
Sent: 131

OH NO!!!!! I just completely erased my incoming mail file. I'm tired and just renamed it after I had to recover a file. I'm so sad. Well, at least I have the number that I've received.  (Hoping that number will FLY up very soon. :)

     I sent a ton of postcards and mail today but only 1 was a postcrossing card. I also sent 4 Flat Stanleys (Flat Timmy and Flat David really) off thanks to Ashley getting me interested in the project. Mine are headed to NC, Turkey and Australia. We also have to send one to France.   

    

Orchids+ Timmy card.

Other...

    Yesterday was my 15th wedding anniversary . I got 2 really sweet gifts. One was from Timmy/David and the other was from Matt.
    After worship band practice (I sing/play once in a while at church) Timmy was sitting on the living room floor acting secretive. Later he called me in because "Dad needed to talk to" me. Once we were standing next to each other, he presented me with this sweet little card.  I love that he included David. My boys are super sweet.

     This is the beautiful orchid Matt gave me. You can't really tell much from this but the flowers are purple and the wall behind it is a pale green. (Don't mind my ghetto blinds.. I REALLY need to get them replaced)  The flowers are super pretty and, although I am known to inadvertently be a plant murderer, I'm going to do the best I can to take care of them. :)

Happy Anniversary to me

Outgoing...

     I sent one postcard to surprise a French soldier who is serving in Afghanistan. She doesn't have a US address so I sent it through a friend. Hopefully it will be a nice surprise and a contrast to the brown she is surrounded by all the time.
      I have more mail to go out today but it is surprise mail so I'll wait until the person has received it.

Incoming...

    One special card from my Nana. It's my 15th wedding anniversary today so I got this nice card from her. She, as well as many people in older generations, is so good with getting cards out (for EVERY occasion). I'm so thankful to have her in my life.

 

Happy Wednesday

Incoming...

     Nothing... BOO! :)

Outgoing...

     An international candy swap headed to the Czech Republic and the Ukraine. It would be nice if I had actually tried these candies too.  A letter to my friends, Marianne and Katherine from The Netherlands and Australia.

Other...

  
     Saw these cute stamps at the post office so I picked them up. How could they not have Nubble Lighthouse? Pretty anyways

More outgoing than incoming :)

     Came home from vacation to find 2 things in my box. I guess this is the result of not responding to my letters for ages. I'm still catching up- dear friends, I have not forgotten about you. 

Incoming...

 From 12 year old Postcrosser, Alexandra, from Minsk, Belarus. Thanks!

 From Julia in the Netherlands.  Very cute.

  
These were the stamps on the back of Julia's cards. Any of my Dutch friends want to tell me what these pictures are from? Is it a children's book illustrator? (Timmy and I were discussing this.. inquiring minds want to know!)

Outgoing..

     Lots of outgoing:

 Sent to a Postcrosser. Hyannis, MA is a wonderful place to visit in the summer (if you don't mind crowds).

 Sent to another Postcrosser- Motif #1 in Rockport.This is about 30 minutes north of where I live.

This is sent to an 11 year old Postcrosser from Russia. Boston Museum of Science. Good stuff!

 I've always liked this postcard and was just waiting for someone who likes old photographs. This shows a football game between cops and prisoners taken at Sing Sing (they think) between 1930 and 1935. Cool. If I remember correctly, this card is headed for Germany.

 This is sent to a unit on active duty that I connected with through AnySoldier.com.

 Sent to a Postcrosser in Canada that is somehow related to a library.

 I've rotated through a few soldiers on Adopt a US Soldier. Thomas, Lauren and Jason have come home. I have 1 returning home on Sunday. I have one woman I e-mail since mail is not easily delivered to her base. Then I have these 3 soldiers- 1 whom I've had for a while and 2 new ones who, ironically, are serving at the same base.


    I have more to send out tomorrow. I'm determined to catch up. 

The 366 Project:

Received: 43
Sent: 113
   

Other...

    1)  Here are my kids, just because I like them and think they're cute.. lol.

 The most smiley, sweetest kid.

     In his first official baseball tournament. They're playing kids a year older than them but having a great time.

     2) I've determined I'm not going to say "I'm going to put this on the blog tomorrow" or "If I have my act together, I will..." because then I feel horribly guilty. This also goes for penpalling. I need to give myself flexibility to write when I have something to say and most of my friends would totally understand that and be fine with it. Penpal guilt is pretty awful and it's worse if you're dealing with any other issues with it.
      3) Vacation was good. We played a lot in the water- at the beach, pools, waterparks, etc. We went to an amusement park. We had a lot of family time and a LOT of driving in the car. Although it doesn't sound really exciting, it was a nice trip. Timmy and Matt got stung by jellyfish. That wasn't fun. For those who are wondering: Yes, apparently if you pee on a jellyfish sting it will stop the pain. However, vinegar works better- which is what we used. They had some at the lifeguard station. Who knew? I also learned that if you rinse the area with fresh water first, the things that are making the sting will continue to fire and it will hurt worse. You learn something new every day. 
     Timmy also had a little adventure. He was swimming in the ocean about 10 feet offshore when he felt something in the sand under him. He reached down and picked this up! We had him go to the front desk to ask if anyone had said that they lost a watch. Nobody had. Since we had no way of knowing how long the watch had been there and who had lost it, the hotel manager thought "there must be SOME reason it came to you!"  So, when we checked out, we went down to see if the watch was claimed and now it is Timmy's.  Boy, is he excited! Maybe I'll have him write a letter to Casio.   I was impressed the watch was still working. They asked the people around them but it wasn't anybody's. I'm sure if you see Timmy, except at baseball, he will have the watch on and gladly tell you his story. :)

     I hope you're having a blessed day.
^"This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.  Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another."- 1 John 4:9-11
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