Martyrs and Thieves

I am so excited that Jennifer Knapp is coming out with a new album.  I love her music, I love her lyrics.  I think the best concert I ever went to was her acoustic set at a Spirit West Coast in the late 90s.  It was insanely amazing.  I can listen to one of her cds and feel like I am having a worship service wherever I am.

Here are the lyrics to one of my favorite songs (truthfully, I think all of her songs are my favorite).  I'd link you to a video of this song if one existed online, but all I can find are covers.  Make sure to check out the new music on her site though, some samples and videos!  Excited!

Martyrs and Thieves

There's a place in the darkness that I used to cling to

It presses harsh hope against time

In the absence of martyrs there's a presence of thieves 

Who only want to rob you blind 

They steal away any sense of peace 

Though I'm a king I'm a king on my knees 

And I know they are wrong when they say I am strong 

As the darkness covers me

So turn on the light and reveal all the glory

I am not afraid 

To bare all my weakness knowing in meekness

I have a kingdom to gain 

Where there is peace and love in the light, in the light 

Oh I am not afraid 

To let Your light shine bright in my life, in my life 

There are ghosts from my past who've owned more of my soul

Than I thought I had given away

They linger in closets and under my bed

And in pictures less proudly displayed

A great fool in my life I have been

Have squandered till pallid and thin

Hung my head in shame and refused to take blame

For the darkness I know I've let win

Can you hear me?  Can you hear me? 

Well I've never been much for the baring of soul

In the presence of any man

I'd rather keep to myself all safe and secure

In the arms of a sinner I am

Could it be that my worth should depend

By the crimson stained grace on a hand

And like a lamp on a hill Lord I pray in Your will

To reveal all of You that I can

There's a place in the darkness that I used to cling to

It presses harsh hope against time...

Wordless Wednesday - Narnia Nursery

Patchwork Scarves

Here is my super secret project for someone's birthday - actually, my Mom's birthday.  It was on the 7th, but I didn't get these mailed out until last week, and then with the holiday they didn't get to her until yesterday!  I found this tutorial at Max and Ellie, which I followed for the first scarf (the blue and brown), but changed up a bit in the length and number of fleece pieces on the cream scarf.  

There was an unfortunate incident with an iron on the blue scarf (as I was ironing it Maddie started hurling things at the tv and I ran over to stop her), which resulted in a burn mark on a shoulder.  It wasn't a very dark burn considering how long the iron had been sitting directly on the fleece and it actually kept magically fading, so much so that my mom and brothers couldn't find it yesterday without very specific instructions about where to look (and under a bright light).

My Mom already wore the cream scarf out in the snow last night, so they are a pretty and useful gift!

This scarf uses fabrics left over from the maternity picture skirts I made for Maddie and myself.  I love them.

This scarf uses fabrics that match the purse I made my Mom for Christmas.

Are they twins?

I figured eventually that Maddie and James would be mistaken for twins, it is almost inevitable as they are only 14 months (and one day!) apart.  James is also a super big baby, not that Maddie is a tiny little thing by any stretch of the imagination, but James takes it to a whole new level.  I figured eventually James would catch up to, and even pass, Maddie in size and we'd start getting the are they twins question then.  I never thought people would start asking when he was only 7 months old.  I mean, he's big, but he's not as big as an almost 2 year old!  We have gotten the question twice in two days though, so there must be something I am not seeing. . . . both times they've been bundled up in the stroller, so maybe seated they look closer in size.

Here are the "twins" on their way to the library:

Let's just take a minute and contemplate how totally insane it is that I even have two babies this close in age.  I mean, it is still a little odd to me that I have one baby . . . after six years of trying, two losses, it took 3 injectable iuis and 2 ivf cycles to have my sweet Maddie, and then boom 5 months later I am pregnant with James.  I never thought I'd be that story, you know the annoying one everyone tells to their infertile friends - "Oh, I know this girl who did ivf and then got pregnant again right after . . ."  Omg I am THAT story.

A fun little trip down memory lane . . .  look at all the drugs I got to shoot up with for one cycle of ivf (yes I said one!)

Boy, am I happy I am that story - annoying as I found them when I was doing infertility treatments.

One month down, eleven more to go

February is a short month, I need to keep that in mind . . . also, we are gearing up to move to God knows where . . . so trying to keep my expectations of myself realistic, so hard!

1.  Super Secret Craft that is being done for someone's birthday.

2. Valentine's Day stuff, I really want to make these from Sew Mama Sew.  I would love to make a little skirt for Mads, and onsie for James but again, being realistic.

3.  Get rid of more stuff.

4.  Finish one other project, preferably the coca-cola skirt before Maddie is too big to ever wear it.

January, when the rains come

It was January, California winter time
Wet pavements shone like streetlights in the dark

1. Finish Maddie's coca-cola skirt.

I am sad to say that this skirt is currently still in pieces . . . I undid the part that went wrong, and cut out the pieces for the second ruffle, but it hasn't been completed yet. I am actually a little concerned that it might end up being too small.

2. Get some official pictures of the babies.
Done!

3. Add some length to the Zaney quilt to bring it closer to a twin size so he can grow with it.
This is another goal that is half way done, I wasn't able to find what I wanted the last time I went to the fabric store, so the pieces I had left have been cut to the sizes I want, but I still need to get at least another 1/2 yard. Here are the pieces that have already been cut, safely put away from Maddie in their Ziploc baggie.

Because I couldn't finish the Zaney quilt, I did do a lot of work on my "first quilt" that I started at quilting class. These are my first half square triangles - looking good so far . . .

4. Submit F&L to a publisher.
Done!

5. Have a garage sale and get rid of lots of stuff!
Done! Need to have another one though!

I am glad I got the majority of my monthly goals done, but honestly, January has been kind of a hard month. Here is to the rest of 2010 being a lot better!

And to this day the California rains bring memories of you
And to this day my heart remains always and only for you