A Romantic Porch

A Winner!

2012-01-25T06:52:00.000-08:00

Okie Dokie! Here's the scoop. After all the entries were put into a hat and with random draw, Skoots1mom won the drawing for Kathryn's book.

Congratulations!

Yay! Thank you all so much for participating!

I highly recommend this book to any of you who are trying to reorganize and declutter no matter the size of your space.

Rachel

Celebrating With A Giveaway!

2012-01-15T07:11:00.000-08:00

In March 2008, soon after I started posting to my blog, I met Kathryn Bechen. Yes, I met her the way most bloggers meet...somehow she found my blog, or I found hers and a blogging friendship began.

I admire Kathryn and her lifestyle of choice for many reasons, probably because I have parallel interests. She loves to organize and decorate and write. She loves her husband and making her home a haven. When I visit her blog, I come away encouraged with more inspiration for living a life of intention and purpose.

Across the years I have collected books on organization and keeping an orderly home and office. So late last year when I was contacted by a representative from Revell a division of Baker Publishing Group to see if I would be interested in doing a book review post on my blog of Kathryn's latest book, "Small Space Organizing", I did a happy dance right there by my laptop computer...well inside my heart I did a happy dance!

I am giddy with excitement to participate in a blog tour to promote her book January 15 - 21, 2012.

Kathryn is a published author and has had articles featured in many magazines and publications across the country. I am thrilled to participate in promoting her new release.

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Kathryn writes with humor and honesty about her life. She and her husband have chosen to live in small homes and she tells about this. I found her reasoning behind this lifestyle choice to be quite interesting.

This book is applicable to anyone who wants their home or office or life to be more organized and orderly for living well. Though it is primarily written to those who live in small spaces I feel that the ideas she gives will help anyone be more organized in general, no matter the size of the space or area of frustration in your home.

You will not be disappointed in the information you receive from reading this book.

ABOUT THE GIVEAWAY:

I collect organization and time management books so I was over the moon with excitement when I received my very own copy of Kathryn's book hot off the press.

After much consideration about this, I have decided to give it to one of you. I have read it so it has been gently used. It has so much wonderful information in it and one of you may need it to get your lifestyle off to a more orderly start for 2012.

On Sunday evening at 9 p.m. eastern time, January 21, 2012, I will choose the winner of the book by random selection.

In order to have your name entered for the drawing you need to do 2 things.

1. Leave a comment stating that you are a follower of this blog.

2. In your comment state why you would like to receive this book.
AND (as a bonus)
if you would choose to tell about my giveaway on your blog I will enter your name 2 times, but you need to let me know you did when you leave a comment. Or to have your name entered 3 times, visit Kathryn's blog and once again let me know this in your comment.

In the meantime, happy organizing and de-cluttering!

Rachel

Bbbbrrrrr! It Is Cold

2012-01-13T03:58:00.000-08:00

Today's temperature is 14 degrees F. with a wind chill of -3 degrees F. Most of yesterday the wind howled its' way across Indiana in what the weather man called a "Skipper". Last night "Skipper" continued to howl. "Skipper" must have felt very lonesome. He sounded lonesome anyway. So this morning I'm sure the sun will rise and chase his lonesome blues away, but he's making sure we know he has been here.

Is it true that bears hibernate in the winter? If so, I think I know why! Sorta sounds fun today.

But I didn't have to get up and build a fire to warm the house and our cars have heaters, so life is good, yes, very good...so off to school and work we go.

Bbbrrr!

Have a good day where you are? Is it warm and sunny there? UUmmm no don't tell me.

Rachel

Who Would I Be Without Her?

2012-01-07T13:35:00.000-08:00

My mother worked the hardest of any lady I have ever known. I'm not saying that other ladies haven't worked as hard, I just don't know them. She married my daddy on December 19, 1936 at the young age of 19. It was on the tail end of "The Great Depression". Yes, that one that happened back in the 30's. Times were hard and the tasks of the day must have taken grit and determination edged with optimism and hope AND strong faith in God, because we were taught those values over and over.

My mother was without question on my daddy's team. Together they could do anything to which they set their heart and mind. Little by little their goals and dreams became realities as the joy and heartache of each task etched deeply into the family they eventually became. They raised us to work hard and be honest and kind to others whether they were young or old, rich or poor. They instilled in us a deep reverence for God. They taught us that through Him we could overcome or endure hardship.

My parents owned a wheat and cotton and dairy farm in Southwest Oklahoma. They owned and herded sheep and one winter lived in a tent on the range to care for the young ewes who were soon to birth lambs. At some point Daddy felt he should minister to hurting people and they sold everything to follow that call. In the span of their life together they built two houses and two churches debt free. They lived the "Dave Ramsey Lifestyle" before it was the "in thing" to do. My mother taught us to reduce, reuse and recycle in a way that would make any current "Green Movement Guru" her most vocal fan. We were taught to do without and be contented or figure out a way to come up with what we needed. Across the span of my mother's life there were several times the different homes in which she lived had no running water or indoor plumbing and definitely no furnace or central air.

She killed rattlesnakes and wiped tiny noses, gathered eggs and patched many pair of jeans. She gave the best soft and cheerful kisses on the top of tiny heads and sang a wonderful lullaby bop as she rocked babies in an old cane bottom straight back chair. She cooked gallons and gallons of beans and oatmeal. She could pull a group of kids and grand kids together in a group effort to snap a bushel of green beans more quickly than you could realize you were involved in "work". Her brown eyes were soft and kind. In my mind I can hear her say, "Just do your best and don't worry about the rest".

She didn't realize what an amazing cook and decorator and seamstress and family administrator she was. She didn't realize how godly and what a great counselor she was simply by listening. She was just Mother. If she laughed too hard, I cried. Yes, I did, I cried. And oh my, she could get so tickled and laugh and laugh and I cried harder. I dunno...maybe the harder I cried the more tickled she became but her initial onset of laughter would have nothing to do with my crying of course. I was told that my immediately older brother also cried when she laughed hard, so maybe I learned this technique from him!

As the youngest of her ten children, it still amazes me the way she cared for each one of us. I'm sure there were times she felt like there wasn't enough of her to go around her family needs and responsibilities.

She wanted all of us to play musical instruments. We did. How did she endure it? She wanted us to sing. We did. How did she endure that? She wanted all of us to go to college if we wanted. And so we did. I heard her sighs and prayers and her songs. Now as an adult with children, I realize those things were her way of keeping herself and others encouraged.

I didn't like to be away from my mother, except to go to school, but even then I would run out to the mailbox to wait for the bus and if I didn't hear its' rumble coming up the hill I would run back to the house and jerk open the door just quickly enough to say, "Bye Mother bye!" Then I would run back to the mailbox to wait. But if the bus wasn't coming I had to repeat this process. I was born when she was 47. I grew up with a keen sense that I might not have her in my life as I grew older and I loved her. She was my comfort.

I will never forget the day that mother sat on the front porch balcony of the home in which I grew up. Philip and I stood on the front steps. She told Philip, "You can take Rachel anywhere you want to take her, just be kind to her and love her." I suppose in a way she passed that mantle of comfort along to him. He has not let her down. She would be proud of him. As a mother now, I know the depth of those words.

As her family grew, so grew her love and knowledge and wisdom. I can only wish to be half the wife and mother and grandmother and sister and friend that she was. She has been an almost constant thought to me.

Happy 95th birthday Mother. I will see you again one day. I know you are waiting.

Love, Rachel Ernesteen

Ernesteen Frances Shumaker Easley

January 7, 1917 - July 15, 1998

2012 Already?

2012-01-01T21:04:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year to all my family and friends. I simply cannot believe it has been over 4 years since my niece set up this blog and emailed me to start blogging. Then January 1, 2008, I finally got the courage to publish a post.

I never realized how much I would enjoy writing a blog. I have always loved to write my thoughts. The Christmas I was 9 years old I asked for a diary and I've written a journal to some extent ever since.

As I talk to people from day to day they say, "You should write a book." An older gentleman told me that for the second time a couple of days ago. Sigh...I'm busy. You're busy. Everyone is busy. Life is so demanding. I'm looking for ways to work smarter.

I do love having a blog. It's like a friend that is there waiting for me no matter how much time has passed or what has happened. I can write what I want, and say what I want, and post if I want. But if I choose to not say it "out loud" my blog is happy to save it in draft and not tell a soul. I like that about my blog! I try my best to tell you the good stuff!

At the start of this year I want to take this opportunity to tell you how much you mean to me. I appreciate the emails and comments and texts and my friends who tell me they read this blog but don't leave comments. Thank you for all your support and encouragement. I appreciate is deeply. As I stated before I know how busy you are and when you take time to reach back to me, I don't take that for granted. You (or should I say y'all) are the best!

I wish for you a new year that is filled with peace and love and overflowing joy.

So I along with all of you have taken that first step into the new year. Take a deep breath and keep moving forward. Hold your head high and smile.

Rachel

So Are You Busy?

2011-12-09T00:06:00.000-08:00

My husband, Philip, tells me that I need to keep my blog updated with what is going on here at A Romantic Porch.

Really? I love my blog. I love to update. We all have the same 24 hours in a day. Why can't I get everything done?

Well lets just say that I have decorated 34 Christmas Trees since November 19th. But that is just stuff I have done on the side...worked it in as I found the time kind of thing...thankful for the extra work.

No the trees aren't the ones I decorated for OUR house. It was for others.

Did I get photos? Well no, but Philip did on some of them. I was too busy running from tree to tree and house to house of course, between my regular work (cleaning) and fashion design jobs.

A couple of years ago, a dear friend said to me, "You are the busiest person I know." Her words pierced and broke my heart. Since that time, I've secretly worn her words like a thorn. She didn't say I was a godly example or a good wife or a great mother or a faithful friend. These are the things in life that matter the most to me.

The other day a lady was talking to me about a hard time they were going through and I told her that the way we live is so important because the only thing that we will take from earth to heaven is our relationships, our relationship with God and others.

Life has taken a toll on our family just like so many other stories that I hear and my husband and I have made committments that we will keep. It has come at a busy price I suppose. I just pray that God's light shines through my life as I work and meet the needs of my family. God is good ALL the time. I pray for HIS strength.

So are you burning the candle at both ends so to speak?

Rachel

This Is What I Said In April

2011-10-21T22:49:00.000-07:00

Since you have asked where I have been I will offer an explanation as to what happened to my blog. However after writing the post below and setting up a new blog, my deleted blog was restored to me in April, with no explanation whatsoever. However, managing life has kept me away from blogging through most of this year.

It is most confusing, I know. So if you have found me by some fabulous fluke of the www, just know that I will continue to post at rachelgoing.blogspot.com as time allows.

Yes, I miss it.

Yes, I miss you.

Writing you and talking to you is where the fun starts.

So that is all I have to say right now, but if you are interested in the story of how my blog was hijacked, then read on.

Until next time...

Thank you so much for caring.

Rachel

The Story of My Hijacked Blog

Several weeks ago (February 2011), my blog, "A Romantic Porch" was hijacked.
The "hijacker" signed in and changed my password. As easy as that "hijacker" was administrating what belonged to me.
Yep, that's right, it was totally stolen and taken from my control.
The "hijacker" added advertisements, moderated my comments and took previous posts from my drafts and moved them to the current day. Then "Hijacker" took a post from another blog that I love and posted it as mine. I could do nothing about any of this. "Hijacker" had complete control of my blog. However "Hijacker" was "kind" enough to set up a "copy cat blog" that has my previous blog postings on it.
After considerable discussion with a couple of moderators from Blogger Help Forum, my blog with my previous address was deleted.
So, rachelgoing.blogspot.com is no longer a viable blog address. It appears as though seven other blogs were "hijacked" after mine. To those of you who were following me, my new blog address for "A Romantic Porch" is rachelgoingonline.blogspot.com. I am sorry for this inconvenience. I am sorry that several years of blogging has come to this. I will continue to feature your beautiful porches each month and get the archives of the previously featured porches linked into the blog as quickly as I can. My work schedule and family needs have to be my first priority...attending to life. However, I don't want to let my blog go.
Thank you for checking on me. It means so much. I appreciate those of you who have let me know you missed my blog. The past year has been challenging for many of the ones I love and my friends in blogland. It has been challenging for our family too. There is a fine line between letting a dream die and getting up every time you are knocked down.
I have thoroughly enjoyed having a blog since my niece set this one up for me in 2007 and emailed me and said, "Now blog!" or something like that! And so I will blog. I will get up and press on. That's the way I was raised. That's how my husband and I live here at "A Romantic Porch". I will make each day as extraordinary as I can and I will savor each moment, yes even the challenging moments and I will blog!
Rachel

Show and Tell

2011-03-11T15:16:00.000-08:00

A Game We Play

2011-03-01T04:06:00.000-08:00

How many cups of sugar does it take to get to the moon, I ask.

Eight replies little princess.

Then it is her turn.

How many cups of sugar does it take to get to the moon, she asks.

Been thinkin'

2011-02-24T10:57:00.000-08:00

A lasting and loving relationship doesn't come from finding the right spouse. Oh well yeah, I know that's part of it. But don't you think it has a whole lot to do with "being" the right spouse. Hhhmmm, would I like to be married to someone like me? Well of course not, I want to be married to him, but I can always find areas of improvement for myself. Let's see now. Did that make any sense at all?

I "heart" U 2!

2011-02-14T06:09:00.001-08:00

Imagine my surprise, a few days ago as I was walking to pick up my little girl from school, when I looked down and saw this oil spot on the pavement. I could not believe it. Quickly I snapped a photo and texted it to Mr. RP.

I wanted to share it with you too! It is an example of a simple joy along the way of everyday life.

Make today a wonderful day.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Rachel

P. S. Yesterday as we were leaving church little girl found another heart shaped oil stain on the parking lot! We were so excited to find another one and we took a photo of it too. Somehow it was deleted from my phone and never made it to the blog. gggrrrr...it would have been fun to have two oil spot photos to show you. I know, I know. How exciting could a heart shaped oil spot be? I'm guessing you will be looking for your very own oil spot sightings though!

Merry Christmas

2010-12-25T06:44:00.000-08:00

2010 has been an interesting year for our family.

As you reflect on the year that has passed, I hope you have been able to celebrate joys and blessings no matter how large or small they may be.

For one thing, we celebrated a "special wedding anniversary" this year by doing fun little things to celebrate as the year has progressed.

One of the ways we celebrated is by decorating the Christmas tree in our bedroom with our wedding anniversary theme...well actually I decorated it and Mr. RP enjoyed it!

I will see if I can post some more photos of that tree.

I hope you have a very merry Christmas!

Rachel

And So It's Thanksgiving!

2010-11-25T05:23:00.000-08:00

Can it really already be Thanksgiving? It is a beautiful time to reflect on the blessings of the past.

I met the young man who would eventually be my husband on Thanksgiving Day.

So today when we share our blessings around our dinner table, that is the blessing I will share.

And I will forever be thankful that we met!

I hope your day is beautiful with the love and blessings of family and friends all around.

Rachel

No Ordinary Day

2010-10-10T06:23:00.000-07:00

10-10-10

What a day! Oh my what a year!

I know people who were married today.

I know people who had an ordinary day today.

Have you ever heard the saying, "Do ordinary things in an extra-ordinary way"?

I love that!

It is a great reminder that even the most mundane of tasks can be extra special.

For instance: When I prepare a roast, I like to season it and sear it in a hot cast iron skillet before I let it cook and simmer for hours till it's yummy and soft and tender. The extra effort is worth the flavor to me and my family.

Today may be ordinary, but I'm challenged to make it extra-ordinary...even if it isn't my wedding day. I don't want it to slip by and be ordinary.

At different times lately, several people have shared hurt and problems with me. Sorrow and hardship are everywhere. They are grasping for answers. Hope and faith are waining. I know how easy it is to feel that way. Sometimes my heart feels like it could burst for the pain and uncertainty that people express. At the end of a day there is exhaustion from the weight of all of it. In the darkness of night sleep evades me as I pray and look for answers to know what to say...what to do...how to help.

My first response is to say, "You can't give up! You must hold on to faith and hope."

However an extra-ordinary response is from the scripture and the power of Christ. This verse gives me courage.

"For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. ~on the contrary~ they have DIVINE power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ."

New Testament Second Corinthians Chapter 10 verses 3 through 5 NIV

So go ahead and take this ordinary day and make it extra-ordinary.

Do ordinary things in an extra-ordinary way.

Rachel

Our First Date

2010-09-17T15:40:00.000-07:00

Our first date was September 17. It was a Friday that year also. The weather was perfectly sunny and crisp. It was a day just like today.

I thought it would be fun to go out tonight and do something sort of special...just a way to kind of remember that evening so many years ago. But life and work adds demands and so we can reminisce in other ways.

I still love to be with him and do things together. It doesn't really matter what or where it is.

That year he had a light blue 1976 Cutlass Supreme. It was a sharp car I thought! Off we went. The sun was setting at a brilliant angle and the sun visors were of no use. I still remember both of us trying to see the road in front of us by shielding the sun with our hands.

He stole my heart and I never looked back! Fortunately he gave me his heart in return!

A few weeks ago one of my boxes of keepsake papers and cards and miscellaneous mementos were ruined by rain and I found them just as they were beginning to mold. There was a very random assortment of things in the box, like school papers written by little boyish hands and letters from family that I hold so dear and words written by special friends. There were cards from when our little girl was born and one of my baby pictures. The rainy wetness in the box had set into mold and my tears began to flow as I spread the papers on every flat surface I could find. I felt the brokenness of the passage of time and the sting of being so busy that I lack time for many things that matter to me. In those moments the essence of everything that the box held, felt dear to me.

The immediate "whys", like why did I move the box where it could be damaged and why didn't I get it sooner and why didn't I have all these things "scrapbooked" like so many of the beautiful ones I've seen, lead to deeper and more silent thoughts and questions of the "whys of life". Most of the "whys of life" can't be answered I suppose, but my box was ruined while I was doing my very very best taking care of the pressing immediate things that were my responsibility. Just like you, many times my time is not my own to do as I please or work on a project of my choice.

And so as I huddled on the floor with tears pooling in my eyes and running down my cheeks I was blinking and sniffing as I tried to see the photo I had just uncovered. In it I could see my husband (then my boyfriend) just as cute as could be and directly beside him was a smeared water stained blot. Below the blot I recognized one of the outfits that I wore back then. Gone were my brown curls and silly smile.

At that moment my husband walked in. Without speaking I handed him the photo. His immediate reply was, "That's our first date!" Apparently someone had snapped a photo of us that evening and then later gave it to us. I have no idea who took the photo. All I wanted to do was throw the picture in the trash and run down the street wailing to the top of my lungs. I didn't however! Instead I realized that with all of the smears and water blots, it's still a remnant of a special memory. So now the photo is dry and maybe in 28 years it will find its' way to a scrapbook and my greatgrandkids can wonder why greatgrandmomma's curly brown hair and silly smile is smeared from the photo.

If I'm around I will tell them the story of how the photo came to be smeared and what a wonderful man their greatgranddad is and that life is sometimes full of smears.

Yes, life is that way. There may be blots and smears and tons of unanswered whys along the way, but still life can be filled with special memories and fleeting moments to cherish.

My mother would often say, "Rachel always do YOUR best and if you've done YOUR best then that is all you can do. The rest will take care of itself." So whatever comes and goes if I know I've done MY best, then I leave God with the rest.

Each day I try to do MY best and let that be enough.

Sigh~it's a process.

Rachel

Labor Day Surprise!

2010-09-06T19:10:00.000-07:00

Today we looked out the window of our vehicle and right there beside us we saw this huge black beautiful horse. It certainly was working on Labor Day by pulling a beautiful shiny white carriage. As we zipped away I quickly snapped this photo. Yep! Sorry! This is all I got of the beautiful horse. Look at the neat braid cascading along the line of the horse's mane.

Seeing this horse in the middle of downtown was a fabulous surprise. Life is that way, full of surprises. Another surprise in my life is those of you who email or leave comments. It is really unreal to realize that you are out there and reading this and giving feedback.

I absolutely LOVE having this blog. Since July 2007 when my niece Karla (Rambling Roads on my side bar) emailed me and told me she had set one up for me, I have been pleasantly surprised how fun it has been.

I am careful how I spend my time. I am constantly asking myself if what I am doing has lasting value. And so I appreciate when you let me know that you have been encouraged.

I will share with you a part of a letter I received from a lady named Judy that I met and she started reading along too.

She said, "Dear Rachel,
So glad to see you back on here! I have missed your stories and pictures so much! They bring me so much joy! I met you in your store last year?"

I have been told when you prepare a blog post and then click "publish post", it is as though you have had an article published in every newspaper in the world. I did not take that advice lightly.

And so it is important to me that when I spend my time posting that you are encouraged. I want the way I spend my time to have lasting value.

As you go through tomorrow and the rest of the week, look for the fun surprises that may bring you delight. We found joy in admiring the neatly braided horse's mane. Our family has found that looking for small joys is sometimes helpful to take our mind off of irritations.

Thank you Judy, for allowing me to post a tiny part of your letter.

Sigh! How in the world did I think to say all of that tonight? My brain feels blurry! Good night!

Rachel

P.S. Thank you for the Happy Birthday wishes for Mr. RP!

Happy Birthday Mr. RP

2010-09-02T22:13:00.000-07:00

\ Yes, in fact today really is Mr. RP's birthday. And we celebrated. We appreciate having another year!

I overheard little girl chanting under her breath, "Must resist this cake...must resist this cake....must resist this cake." But alas we all had a little cake and we are together and happy. That's what really matters isn't it?

So Happy Birthday Mr. RP. It is a gift to celebrate another birthday with you!

Rachel

And Now He Is Gone

2010-08-24T17:48:00.000-07:00

Seasons come and go. Life flies past. The angle of the sun seems to be shifting as Autumn approaches.

We got a new next door neighbor this summer. He was so friendly. He would ride his riding lawn mower from house to house and cut the grass of his neighbors including us. It seemed to be therapeutic for him. He always had a big smile and a wave.

I thought I would bake some cookies for him to say thank you. But school was starting and we were in the midst of a few overwhelming projects. I could barely keep up with my family's needs and the demands of work, so I didn't take cookies to him...it could wait I thought.

We appreciated his gesture of kindness in mowing our lawn. Our sons did too!

Then Monday the 16th an ambulance came and took him away. Today he is gone. There will not be a chance to take him cookies. There are no other opportunities for a big smile and a happy wave.

And I'm sad. I don't like to miss opportunities. But how in the world do we ever do everything we wish we could do. There are SO MANY things that are priorities to me that I never have a chance to do. How does that happen? The demands of every day sometimes just pull us along. Time passes. Seasons come and go and opportunities are lost.

Each day I strive to use my time wisely, kindly, industriously and not wastefully, carefully, thoughtfully. I have this overwhelming sense that every moment matters. All I can do is my best...yes that is all I can do.

Good bye, Mr. Joe.

Rachel

She Said It Well

2010-08-22T19:14:00.001-07:00

Mona was one of you who checked in on me in my absence. She left this comment!
Wsprsweetly Of Cottages said...
My goodness! Where on earth have you gone. I, myself am struggling with blogging. Sometimes life just seems to overtake you and you MUST give it your full attention...

Jump over and visit her. Life is really dealing her some blows.
But yes that is absolutely right...sometimes just life takes our full attention! I like how she said that!

So many are dealing with overwhelming issues. I love the simple pleasures found in the summer wildflowers, herbs and weeds that seem to be bring havoc to the ones who are suffering with seasonal allergies.

I simply could not resist taking a photo of the lacy green fronds of this green rag weed. Although it my mind I could hear my son and husband sneezing as they worked around it.

So if you are struggling with seasonal allergies or terminal illness or fractured relationships or job loss or any of the other things that life can bring your way, I just wanted to come by and leave you with a scripture that has encouraged our family this summer.

The New Testament Second Corinthians Chapter 4 Verses 7 through 10

NIV

We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves. We are pressed on every side by troubles but we are not crushed. We are perplexed but not driven to despair. We are hunted down but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed. Through suffering our bodies continue to share in the death of Jesus so that the life of Jesus may also be seen in our bodies.

I hope this is encouraging to you also for whatever you may be going through and you've had a restful Sunday.

Rachel

One Last Thing, I Mean Dress

2010-05-19T02:00:00.000-07:00

OK. So by now I figure that you are probably so totally done with me showing you photos of redesigned prom dresses on the "slightly tilted Miss Telda Mannequin" as she sits quietly in the corner of the dining room against the old column. I promise I won't show you anymore for a while. Well maybe never. It's time to move on to other things that are going on around here. There is never a dull moment I'd say. There are LOTS of challenging moments, but never dull ones!
But she wanted slightly capped sleeves on her topless, oops I mean strapless dress, so now she has them, and she was thrilled.
Thanks for following along as I've babbled on about such things.
Have a wonderful day.
Rachel

All In All Life's An Adventure

2010-05-14T16:31:00.000-07:00

I've been to Antarctica
and the Sahara Desert.

I swam with a few sharks...well, maybe not!

However, from Continent to Continent it was an adventure all seen through the excitement of our little girl and the lens of the camera on my phone.

It was a whirl wind trip right through the fabulous confines of the Indianapolis zoo!

I hope you enjoyed it too!

Life just moves along at a dizzying pace. Doesn't it?

But all in all life's an adventure!

I hope you're enjoying it too!

Rachel

Beads Beads and More Beads

2010-04-22T03:07:00.000-07:00

She wanted beads. And SO we did beads...and beads and more beads and we all loved it! The camera on my phone doesn't do this justice of course. If you could see it, I think you'd love it too!

Some day, maybe soon I will quit posting about all these "fashion projects". I've got a bunch of other stuff rattling around in my head to tell you about. But for now, I'm headed to the sewing machine. Only 5 to go to be done for this week's deadlines. Yahoo!

And did I ever tell you that Spring is my favorite time of year? I'm breathing in every moment of fresh crisp air possible and loving all the flowering trees and new GREEN everywhere!!!

Rachel

I've Been Asked

2010-04-17T05:37:00.000-07:00

I've been asked to fix alot of things. Like this week another one of my sisters and I cranked out 24 prom dresses...we're working on 14 prom dresses, 1 wedding dress and 3 bridesmaids dresses and finishing a set of draperies today. I have an appointment coming in a few minutes for a fitting so I'm jumping on to do a posting and right back off, but I just had to show you this...butterfly.

Yes, I've been asked to fix alot of things like prom dresses and such or the pockets of my Mr. RP's jeans or torn back pack straps for the teenagers or broken toys or torn story book pages, but the sweetest one that stopped me in my tracks was the request to fix the broken wing of this beautiful butterfly. Alas, I realized that there was absolutely nothing I could do except watch it flounder in misery and it made my heart sad.

But sometimes that's the way life is. It deals those blows that can't be fixed and so we find joy and peace amidst the sadness.

In spite of it all have a great weekend. I promise, I really will be back. Gotta scurry...not enough time.

Rachel

Taking A "Breather"

2010-03-27T04:21:00.000-07:00

Before

This is another one of my favorite "redesigns". I took it with my phone...gotta work on the camera situation. I wish you could see its' emerald green splendor!

After

By the end of today, we will have cranked 29 redesigns, alterations or repairs and 17 fittings, this week alone, through the doors of "A Romantic Porch". Oh and cleaned 7 houses and 2 offices. Well, of course we fit real life and regular work in there somewhere too! Um didn't we?
One of my 4 sweet sisters came 600 miles to help me with sewing for 2 weeks. She fully realizes at this point that I truly couldn't have done this without her.

She leaves Monday.
uuuggghhh

At this moment, there are only 15 fashion orders for next week and I'll be flying solo! That should be interesting.
It's prom and wedding season, so the fun continues here at "A Romantic Porch"!
I promise I will be back...next time I come up for air!
I miss all of y'all so much.
Rachel

A Shepherd

2010-03-14T05:46:00.000-07:00

Years before I was born, my parents raised and cared for sheep. Daddy had a route through Oklahoma and Texas that he would travel to sheer sheep for other people. He entered contests in fairs for sheep sheering. That was in the 1940's.

I've thought alot about how much work it took to care for all of the sheep. During the cold cold winter of 1939, my parents and oldest brother lived in a tent out on the sheep range to be there as the ewes began to birth the lambs. I've heard there were about 600 sheep and they could not afford for any of them to be lost.

Daddy fixed the tent with a stove. That is how mother could cook and they could stay warm and cozy.

Shepherding is filled with responsibility and constant attention to the needs of the sheep.

A shepherd keeps the sheep in the best pasture. If the sheep wander into harms way, the shepherd herds them back to safety. They keep the sheep with a constant supply of food and water. At night the sheep are herded back to the barn or arena to be protected from predators.

I know my parents and I know how hard and diligently they worked in every area of their lives. Though I wasn't born when they were raising and caring for sheep, I know they spared no effort in making sure the sheep were well cared for and had everything they needed.

I also know...as long as...

The Lord is my shepherd, I will not be in need.

Old Testament Psalm chapter 23 verse 1

Have a restful day.

Rachel