Joy In The Wasteland

It's been a really long time since I've posted.  You know, life . . . .

This is going to be a rambling post.  I just need to work through my feelings and find a way to cope and heal.  Writing it all down kinda helps.

I got laid off, I took a job in Minnesota to be close to the love of my life.  I hated my job, I got really sick.  I was depressed, didn't have any money and felt all alone.  I worried about my 5 year old.  I packed up and moved back to Arkansas.  I was so rash.  I quit my job, I said mean things to my best friend, the man I hope to marry.

I apologized.  I then became absorbed in helping my uncle pack up his business.  One that I had worked at.  That was extremely hard.  Both physically and emotionally.  I came home and would feel the crushing weight of loss.  I was so lonely.

I've been praying through it all.  I've sought solace in God's love and grace.

I know I'm rambling.  Sorry.

I was hanging out on Pinterest and I stumbled upon the blog Arabaj Joy.  Arabaj means wasteland. Taken from her blog:

"Even the wilderness and desert will be glad in those days.  The wasteland (the Arabaj) will rejoice and blossom with spring crocuses.  Yes, there will be an abundance of flowers and singing and joy!  The deserts will become as green as the mountains of Lebanon, as lovely as Mount Carmel or the plain of Sharon.  There the Lord will display His glory, the splendor of out God."


We can have joy in the wasteland.

I read her post How To Live Loved and following different links I came to a post about praising God in our pain.  How God wants us to fully rely on Him, to have faith in his plan.

So, I still cry at the drop of a hat.  I long to talk with my love like we used to.  I pray, I hope, I thank God and praise him in my wasteland.

African Sweetheart

If you have a prayer need, I would love to pray for you.  Let me know in the comment.

Natosha

{What Do You Do?}

May 6:  Today's prompt is:  If you couldn't answer with your job, how would you answer the question, 'what do you do?'



* I cook pretty good meals (most of the time).

* I watch Disney Jr with my son (a little too much).

* I garden, can, craft, sing and journal.

* I mother.

* I pamper animals.

* I befriend who I am able.

* I listen.

* I love.

* I spend as much time as possible with my family.

* I mess up (a lot).

* I see most things in a positive, 1/2 full kind of way.

* I give grace, not because I am good or perfect, but because it was given to me.

* I lose my temper and yell (rarely, but watch out).

* I laugh every day and sometimes I cry.

So, what do you do?


Thanks for stopping by,
Natosha

Day 2 and 3 {Yep, I'm Already Behind}

Blog Every Day In May Challenge

Day 2:  Educate us on something you know a lot about.

Since I'm a day behind, I'm not gonna educate you, but inform you of something that I am an expert at.  I am an expert at installing ankle monitors on juvenile delinquents.  I absolutely hate the monitors, but probably not as much as the kids who are wearing them.   : P

Day 3:  Thing that make you uncomfortable.

1.  I get really uncomfortable when my mom or an aunt or uncle (someone really close to me and older) starts to tell me intimately personal things about themselves or their spouse or the two of them together.  I don't know if any of you have experienced this.  It's like you are their best friend instead of the child.  I know I am almost 42, but I'm still my momma's little girl and I DO NOT want or need to hear certain details about her life.  Uncomfortable and awkward. 

2.  Seeing a homeless person with a sign asking for food or money.  I want to help them, but I don't have a lot of money and their are no shelters in our county.  I usually buy some food and give it to them.  Why does that make me feel uncomfortable and a little guilty?  Maybe because I am blessed.  

Thanks for stopping by,

Natosha

Day 1: The Story of My Life In 250 Words or Less {Blog Every Day in May Challenge}

Day 1:  The Story of My Life In 250 Words or Less

So, while reading through the list of blogs I follow, I stumbled upon Jenni at Story of My Life.  She issued a challenge to bloggers to blog every day in May.  If you want to participate, go HERE for a complete list of daily prompts.

So, I was born in Searcy, Arkansas in 1971.  (Yeah, I'll be 42 on the 7th.)  I went to elementary and high school in a tiny community outside of Searcy.  There were 8 kids in my graduating class.  I was the only girl. That's a whole other story.

I went to college at Williams Baptist College in Walnut Ridge, Arkansas.  I received my B.S. in Psychology with an emphasis in counseling.  I moved to Abilene Texas where I began graduate school at Hardin-Simmons University.  I didn't finish.  Wish I had.

Moved back to Arkansas, got married to my college sweetheart.  Got divorced.  Very sad time.  

I have worked at Wal-Mart, an office and school supply store, 2 battered women's shelters, a foster family agency, 2 hospitals, a dialysis clinic, and a non-profit community services clinic.

I met Mike and we moved to California where we I lived in Kelseyville for five years.  I was a social worker for a foster family agency.  I worked with foster children and certified foster homes.   I got pregnant in 2009 and had our son Jaxon on 11/24/09.

We moved back to Arkansas to take care of my parents.  I worked at my uncle's wholesale florist until I got my job as a caseworker for juvenile delinquents.  So now I work with kids involved with the court.  I manage community service, install ankle monitors and help kids getting out of youth prison.  

My son is 3 1/2, we live out in the country.  When I have time I love to craft, DIY and cook.  I'm pretty sure I went over 250 words!

Thanks for stopping by,

Natosha

{Manic Monday} 3/25/13

I haven't done Manic Monday in ages.  It's basically just some fun or interesting stuff I've found on the web to make Monday a little more bearable.

First, these pictures made me laugh out loud.

found here

Next, I want one of these.

Buy the Pocket Spotlight at the Photojojo Store!

These have been around a while, but allergy season is almost here and I thought this would be appropriate:

Hay Fever GIANT Microbe found here.

Are you hungry?  Me too.  This looks yummy.

via Two Peas and Their Pod

I think Jaxon needs this rain gear set.

by Kidorable

And finally, my Monday would be a lot better if I had this:

Nutella Popsicles via 52 Kitchen Adventures

So what would make your Monday better?

Thanks for stopping by,

Natosha

{Things I Love}

A Few of the {Things I Love}

I love that Jaxon calls sunflower seed "flower seeds."

I love when Blaine (my 13 yr old nephew) comes to my house just to hang out and talk about his favorite apps (and that he wants me to download them so we can enjoy them together).

I love getting up before anyone else, making coffee and getting the first cup.

I love that I have one more day of this crazy, wonderful, scary, blessed thing called life.

March Photo A Day

Ok, I finally own a smartphone and have an Instagram account.  Follow me HERE.  (Um, if anyone can tell me how to change my pic so it's not sideways, it would be much appreciated.)  So, I am planning on participating in Fat Mum Slim's March photo challenge:

Now for something I do not love.  I actually hate this.

Two days ago someone abandoned four darling puppies near our property.  We live out in a rural area, so from time to time when someone wants to get rid of an animal, they just drop it/them off out near where we live.  I guess it eases their guilt that there are several homes nearby and that maybe someone will adopt the animal(s).

They tried to lick my husband to death.

My son wanted to keep them all.

This one wagged it's tail the whole time my nephew was holding it.

You could see their ribs.

We just adopted a dog from the local animal shelter and a cat that showed up one day now resides with us.  

Meet Maddie and Dude.

We fed them and they wandered over to my mom and dad's house, where they were fed again.  If I can't find homes for them, I know what will happen.  Someone will "take care of them."  I called the animal shelter and you have to pay $25 per animal to "surrender" them.  Aaack!  $100!  Maybe I will adopt them all.  I don't know.  I'm just so stink'n mad at whoever did it.  I mean, get your animal spayed or neutered.

So, anyone want to adopt a puppy?

Thanks for stopping by,

Natosha

I am linking up here:

{My New Haircut and Style}

Hello and happy Saturday!  I FINALLY got my hair done yesterday.  I haven't had a really good haircut in like, umm, over 2 years, when I was still living in California.  Since moving back to Arkansas, I have been going to the local Beauty College and having a senior student cut it.  Well I sprung for a pricier salon and I. Love. It.

What do you think? (sorry, these are selfies)

I'm trying to grow out a perm so I kinda had Christmas tree hair.  Small on top and big at the base.  he used a flat iron to style it.  You can't tell in the pics, but there is all kind of texture.  I know I've said it, but I love it.  I have never used a flat iron.  My mom has one she never uses and said I could have it.  We will see.  

Oh, and I scored this bracelet (and a cool necklace that I don't have a picture of yet).  It was 75% off, so I really couldn't pass it up, right?

It's been a great day.  We went from rain/sleet/snow mix to sunny and about 60 degrees.  I installed mini blinds in my living room and kitchen and I made a yummy copy-cat California Pizza Kitchen BBQ Chicken Pizza.  I'll share the recipe soon.

I hope your weekend is awesome.  So, do you have any experience with flat irons?  Any advice?

Thanks for stopping by,

Natosha

{Cleaning Out The Pinterest Closet and Some Rambling}

Today I was looking at my "Craft Ideas" board on Pinterest.  Uh, I have 139 pins and I have done maybe 4 of them.  Sad.  Part of it is I forget to take pictures when I am cooking and while crafting.  And when I do, they aren't that good.  That shouldn't be an excuse though, right?

So, I am bringing back a feature I tried a couple of times when I first started blogging:  Try-It Tuesday.  It's not about re-inventing the wheel, it's just about trying my hand at some of the things I have pinned.  There are tons of bloggers out there who do this type of feature.  I don't look at it as stealing an idea, but as sort of a review of that idea, the feasability of a not so artsy-craftsy person being able to not totally mess it up.  But, you know what?  I'm totally willing to blog about my fails because who couldn't use a good laugh every now and then.

While I'm at it, any of my boards are free game for the series.  I've had a few recipes I pinned turn out really bad.  Now that is not necessarily the original recipe developer's fault.  Sometimes I fly a little too loose in the kitchen.  You know, "oh this looks like it's about a cup", "if 1 tsp is good, maybe 2 is better" and "hmmm, I forgot to buy that, I'm sure this would make a good substitute."  But in my defense, there have been recipes that I have followed to the "T" and they were not tasty at all.

I think for now, I will be trying projects from these boards:

Craft Ideas

Recipes

How Sweet It Is

For Jaxon

There are whole blogs/sites dedicated to testing pins:

Pintester (warning, uses adult language)

PinterestFail

The Pinterest Project

After reading about so many craft and recipe fails, I don't feel so bad anymore.  It happens to everyone!

Thanks for stopping by,
Natosha

P.S.  Today, I am linking here:












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