May 14, 2012
-
{no place i’d rather be}
i’m now writing as i sit on a old brown leather couch.
bought second hand from craigslist…
there’s an ugly greenish outdoor/ indoor carpet on the floor.
dandelions through the window, in the yard beyond.
no more grand views of mountains.
or built in mahogany desks.
there’s no continental breakfast provided. unless i make it myself.
no towels folded like ducks. or someone coming later to make the beds.
there’s no heated pool on the floor below.
and check out time isn’t at noon.
actually.. around here. there is no check out time!
yes. i’m back home.
but ya know what..
there’s no place i’d rather be.
grateful. on this monday.
especially a monday after being with family and friends that my heart aches for far away..
when the big kids are back at school. shayne back at work. me, back to what i do here..
and i feel that little nagging inside to be homesick. to be a little down. a little sad. a little, “gee. this isn’t the way i had pictured life going…”
instead.
i’m choosing to look around and say, “gee. this isn’t the way i pictured life going. but what a GOOD life it is!”
my husband. my kids. my home. green indoor/outdoor carpet and all. the friends we’ve made here. the gorgeous sunshine outside. God’s provision.
because true joy isn’t determined by having the circumstances we want –
but finding His hand in whatever circumstances we are.
what happens to us isn’t just about us…
it’s only a very small part of a much bigger story.
today. i choose to remember the bigger story!
Comments (41)
i just came home from taking jacob to school and was thinking about you. clicked on xanga…and tada. here ya are!
Great pictures of you and your children! One question: how DO you get Reese to let a head band in her hair? My little girl rips them out so fast it’s depressing! I’ll choose to be joyful in spite of that, though!!
i always just staaaaaare at your photos. i love the people. the clothes. shoes. purple belt! sorry if that’s sounding all goofy and shallow…maybe i am sometimes.
and yet, it’s still sincere.
the bigger story..yes. that. so true. dang deceiver is always trying to persuade me that what i’m in the middle of…is the end. just how it is. and how it will stay. BUT! thankyouJesus. HE is not finished. IN me. or around me. i am choosing too today…along with you dear friend. <3
oh goodness I’m in the same place today…life is NOT going as planned. Although my emotions have been all over the place this weekend, my spirit is at peace. But there is small part of me that wonders if its peace that has come from surrender or if I have “given up.” There is a difference. I’m just not sure if I known on which side I’m standing on. ANWAYS!! I love your blue dress!!
very well said
and i couldn’t agree more! but it sure is hard…especially when the people you love most are sooooo far away! that being said, i am praising the Lord for my very own little family right where i am at 
Happy Mother’s Day Amber! It is so true, there are so many things to be thankful for. I think about how annoyed I get when all I hear is my children grumbling, then I’m reminded that is exactly the way I sound too often. You have a way of helping me keep my priorities where they should be. Love you my friend!
PS- the blue dress looks so good on you!!
Lovely pictures, as usual. : ) And you went short with your hair! Looks great! Are you liking it? : )
God always knows just what He is doing… even when we can’t quite figure it out! LOL.. beautiful pictures.
Happy Mother’s Day! Your children are so adorable!
You always make the perfect pictures for mothers&fathers day..you do. It was so great to read about your travels, isn’t it like getting drunk….such travels, and when safely landed back home one is sooo grateful….
Love you, Amber
Lieve groeten
Godeliva
Your blog is beautiful and once again reminds me to find true contentment in my circumstances. And not in the sadness and “oh how I wish” of longing for my loved ones who are all far away. Thanks for the reminder! LOVE your family photos, as usual.
Happy Mother’s Day!
Hugs, Carol
Ain’t life grand….I know what you mean. I to love my life & spending it with the most wonderful folks in the world….
Family
!
I’m trying to remember the bigger picture today, too. We just had a weekend for youth at church and their focus was on the persecuted church. Talk about showing up your own personal levels of humanity w/ the most glaring spotlight ever. And yesterday under that white tent I thought I’d really, really gotten ahold of things and I was soooo willing to let go of all my petty wants and needs and sacrifice anything for God. And then we got home. And I got hit with a dump truck load of emotion resulting in a migraine this morning. It’s a lot easier when you’re sitting in church, that’s all I’m saying.
Happy Mother’s Day to you!
You got your hair cut??
you’re beautiful!!! Love you family pics.. although I hope the reason Shayne isn’t in on the pics is cause he’s the one snapping the photos – your kids look like soo much fun!
“because true joy isn’t determined by having the circumstances we want –
but finding His hand in whatever circumstances we are.
what happens to us isn’t just about us…
it’s only a very small part of a much bigger story.”
Amber this is sooo soooo true – sometimes hard to see His hand in the circumstances – I think that’s why God made friends to help us see differently, encourage us to see the bigger picture. I hope you had a very blessed Mother’s Day!
A beautiful mother’s day! Your photos are wonderful! And a perfect quote to go along.
I Love your Mother’s Day pictures!!! I can’t believe how big Kate looks…so grown up.
And your hair….I LOVE IT! I’m just about to do the same thing.
Being home,feeling content, it’s the Best.
Happy Monday to you. =)
Oh yeah, I was going to put a little note in my post for you, but forgot. The shirt I’m wearing, that’s the one that was Supposed to be your baby gift!
See, it would have looked terrible anyway. I knew you wouldn’t have liked it.
I owe you one. Someday I’ll get it to you!!! =)
@Elizabethmarie_1 - that is too funny because i TOTALLY noticed it and thought, i LOVE those kinds of shirts!! lacy. soft looking.
atleast you know my style. and.. i give you permission to KEEP my shirt!! to wear it guilt-free.. and, just think of what a super nice friend i am each time you wear it!!! 
hee hee~
can’t wait to see your hair!
@CBrown6207 - well, when my hair is long i want it short. and when it’s short i want…
i know it’ll grow again. but i am missing the long. atleast i can still put it up, which is usually how it is. i can’t stand my hair in my face! which, you would think i would be a great candidate for a buzz then~ 
love the pictures as always! hope your mother’s day was exceptional
@grace_to_be -
I am the same way. Couldn’t wait for short hair, now I can’t wait for it to grow! : )
You have such a beautiful family. Many acquaintances who I see speak of the wonders of their big houses and yards. I speak of the gratitude of my little two bedroom apt. and a wonderful apt. manager who fixes and replaces what needs to be fixed when it breaks. The work crew keeps the landscaping up and I am grateful to be here.
“This isn’t the way i pictured life going. but what a GOOD life it is!” Amen. Happy Monday night. I hope the contentment oozed into every moment of your day. Goodness! You are all so goodlooking.
Love your hair! You are smashing
…. gorgeous pictures, somehow it never dawned on me to take some.maybe I will have too another day and pretend. Trying to read my new “book”. Do I have to find good in it? <3 ya
I LOVE being at home! There’s no place like home! It’s nice to go on vacation, but coming home is awesome!
You are so pretty and have such a beautiful family! Hope you had a wonderful vacation and an awesome Mother’s Day!
I LOVE these pictures! Beautiful. And your shoes and your daughter’s shoes = lovely!!!!
such a beautiful family you have Amber.
happy week to you!
♥
You are such a beautiful lady <3 So very Blessed
GAAAAA. Your hair is gone!! It looks really cute- probably nice for summer and a change. I think about it for mine but never follow through. Your pictures beautiful! I enjoyed hearing of your hotel stops- glad you are once again home safe and sound.
Beautiful…
Home is where the heart is, and where it stays warmest.
because true joy isn’t determined by having the circumstances we want -
but finding His hand in whatever circumstances we are.
Love that. Gonna steal it in some fashion.
I hope you had a wonderful Mother’s day! Love ya!
My daughters always tells me when I am leaving them, “Don’t cry because it’s over. Smile because it happened.” I try to remember that. I always thought I would be more of a “hands on” Grandma. But, I can pray for my precious babies anywhere. I try to use SKYPE to keep them remembering me. It is harder for the little ones. Hopefully, when they are older, they can come and visit me here. I asked Lucas (age 3) if he wanted to get on an airplane and come to see me. He said, “No WAY!” He has already been on an airplane from NY to Dublin, and he still remembers not being able to run around in the plane. LOL! You are so right that our joy comes from our Maker and not our circumstances. I see God’s hand in so many ways and am so thankful for bringing us to Denmark and using us. It has been a rich time for us (not financially!) and I have learned so much. God is ALWAYS good.
Great perspective! Love the pictures of you and your kids. Especially love the blue dress you are wearing!! Gorg-eous…
awe glad your home safe and sound. Thanks for sharing. I had to remind myself that very thing on Mother’s Day of all Days
You always look so gorgeous and stylish! Love those sweet pictures of you and your beautiful kiddos. Ben and Kate are getting so big and Reese is just such a cutie pie!
And what a sweet picture of Emma and your parents!
Oops, somehow my comment got deleted! I’ll try again.
I was just saying… I love your tradition of taking pictures with your kids every mother’s day! and just gorgeous gorgeous pictures! i think you become more beautiful every year! LOVE your outfit – you are just stunning in that color! and your shoes, and kate’s cute outfit and shoes, and everyone else too… i love your fashion taste.
and your hair! looks lovely! even though i loved the long length on you too – your hair is unusually beautiful!
Just beautiful. All of it!
you look smashing in that dress, beautiful family you have!! contentment is something of great value, I see you holding on to it and claiming it. I like that about you, along with the many other things….:))
great pics with some fun backgrounds! Y’all look so fashionable and something that could have come right out of the catalog
I like your hair-cut! It frames your face nicely.
Hope you and your family are doing well. Had a couple visit us from Hamilton last week. Is that near you?
~Lauren
Awesome! Sweet pictures. Thanks for befriending! God bless, ~ Pete
“Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart.” Psalm 37:4
Love all the pictures…and the image of a blue chair strapped to the top of your vehicle from the last post!