Dear Mushka,

Every Friday I share some of my favorite things on my IG stories from our newsletter for the week. This week I thought I’d do something a little different and share some of our faves from our home's bedrooms.

Watch the video for a virtual tour and get a sneak peak into our home. You can find some of the mentioned favorites linked below.

Our Nursery Room is the new baby’s room!

We’re so ready for little Mushka number three to come home. If you’d like to find out how you can make our next adoption possible, you can find more information here.

The shelf and burnt orange blanket is from IKEA with artwork from Rifle Paper Co. The hanging mobile is from Target and you can find the wallpaper from D. Marie Interiors.

Our Two Year Olds Room

Features a bunk bed that is actually supposed to be a loft play area also from IKEA. We painted and are absolutely in love. It’s perfect for transitioning a little one from a crib to a bed because you can’t really fall out.

The kids’ bedding is from Target. I’ve also used a DIY Pom Pom trim to hang as makeshift “bunting”. I love it because it gives the illusion of being expensive when really it’s just from a craft store, comes in a zillion colors and costs just a few dollars per yard.

The curtains are from Target. To get more fullness I sewed two panels together! We’ve used the same IKEA shelves in this room because the boys love to see the covers of their books and they are great for promoting reading.

Our Four Year Olds Room

We’re still working on this one and plan to get a desk for him and some final touches. We upgraded our bed to a King Size (best purchase ever!) so our little man, Brooks, got the Queen Size.

The US map is from Crate&Barrel.

The dressers are from IKEA as well - can you tell we love IKEA? They are great for organizing and you can easily place a changing mat on top of them if needed.

Continue reading

I saw more clearly than ever, that the first great and primary business to which I ought to attend every day was, to have my soul happy in the Lord. The first thing to be concerned about was not, how much I might serve the Lord, how I might glorify the Lord; but how I might get my soul into a happy state, and how my inner man may be nourished. -George Muller

For years, I'd sit down to spend time with God & then pause because I didn't actually know what to do next. I felt like I was wasting my time, staring at a random Bible page or throwing prayers up based on whatever popped into my groggy mind. 

After reading this book, I decided to come up with a consistent routine for how I spend my time with God in the morning. Do I stick to it 100% everyday? No way. But it allows me to come prepared and make the very best use of my time with the Lord.  

I hope seeing this written out helps you prioritize your own time in God's presence. I'm not superwoman, and different seasons of life allow me different availability. But what I know is that I will never, ever regret meeting with my Lord & Savior every day, and He is worth the very best I have to offer. 

6:00 Alarm goes off. I get up immediately; that snooze button is dangerous! If I'm feeling extra tired, I quickly pray for energy and joy. God is so faithful to give it! I go to the bathroom, feed the cat, and fill my bottle of water. 

6:10 Sit in a chair in my office with my basket that has everything I need in it. Bible, prayer notebook, memory verse box, pencil, post-its (for brain dumping), etc. Having everything there and ready for me is crucial. Also: water, a blanket, and kleenex! 

6:10-6:15 Work my way through my scripture memory box. I use the system I wrote about here; it's such a quick and effective way to store God's words deep in my heart. When I'm ready for a new verse, I'll also use this time to write it out on a card. 

6:15-6:45 Read my Bible. You can read about the chronological plan I'm using right here. Most days, this looks like 3-4 chapters at a time. After I read, I think through a few questions; sometimes I write the answers down and other times I reflect in my head.

What necessary context do I need to remember from what I just read? What does this text show me about God (Father, Son, Holy Spirit)? What does it show me about myself (sins I need to confess, examples to follow, promises to claim, etc)? And then how would these answers change my life if I took them seriously (what false ideals could I throw off, why might God be showing this to me now)?

Thinking through these answers allows me to move from reading God's words to meditating on them. If you've never done this before, it's where I've seen the most transformation in my own life. God's words are living and active... and it really helps to reflect on them beyond zooming through the assigned chapters.

6:45-7:00 Pray. First, I pray the ACTS acronym regarding what I've just read in the Bible. Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, and Supplication. It helps solidify what I've read and allows the information to go from my head to my heart.

For example, if I just read about God leading the Israelites out of Egypt, I'd praise His strength and power; I could confess the times I don't trust Him to bring me out of a hard situation; I may thank Him for His constant leading in my life or for the examples we have in Exodus; I could ask Him to deliver me from a hard time. Something like that :) 

Then I use these sheets for other specific needs; I talk all what that looks like for me in these Instagram story highlights. Basically, I have a few things I pray for daily and then I flip to my day-of-the-week page and pray for those things/people. 

It feels funny at first, but praying aloud is a great way to stay focused and alert. I find myself less distracted, and more aware of who I'm talking to when I actually say my words aloud. Try it! 

7:00+ My boys start to stir at 7:00 which usually ends my morning time, but if I have a few extra minutes I listen to a worship song and/or read a chapter of a God-focused book I'm working my way through. I may also evaluate my goals, write down wonderful deeds of the Lord (Psalm 9:1), or sit and meditate on a specific verse. These last three things are all in my prayer notebook so I have them there at the ready!

 

Continue reading

WHY ADOPTION

In the Bible, we see that adoption was never God’s Plan B-- It was always God's Plan A.  God’s purpose has always been to adopt a people for himself. He is an adoptive Father & the church is an adoptive family of brothers and sisters.

So for Christians, the process of earthly adoption must be grounded in the reality of our heavenly adoption. We’ve been adopted by God, and nothing in us merited it. We can take no credit. God chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world; in love he predestined us for adoption (Eph. 1:3–5).

This perspective should produce humility in every child of God—and transform how we go about the process of earthly adoption.

Jesus told his disciples, “I will not leave you as orphans, I will come to you” (John 14:18). We’re not superior to the orphan, the widow, or the stranger. No, in the gospel we are the orphan, and God has adopted us; we are the widow, and Jesus has become our groom; we are the stranger with no homeland, and we have inherited the kingdom.

Ultimately, orphan care is about reflecting the heart of the gospel. And we do all of this as an act of honor to Jesus, who has loved us and come for us. Why do we care for orphans in their affliction? Because God has cared for us in our affliction. He has made us his sons and daughters.

Not all of us are called to adopt or foster children. Some of us are called to finances other's adoptions, to provide meals for foster parents, to be a voice for the voiceless, to educate others on orphan care, etc. 

We are calling it Adopt an Envelope.

How it Works: 

1. You choose an "envelope" from 1-200. Scroll down to our list of envelope numbers to make sure yours is still available, first. 

2. Donate the amount on your envelope. For example, if you choose envelope 76, you donate $76. We'd love to leave the smallest envelopes (1-10) for children to contribute to if they want. 

TIP: Can't adopt a larger envelope yourself? Join hands with a small group, extended family, Sunday school class, etc to go in together 

3. We'll write your name on the actual envelope we have and put it in a box for this little one to have forever.  

4. The site you're donating through (Adopt Together) to will send our adoption agency a final check to cover some of the costs. We won't ever touch your money personally. 

5. You receive a tax write-off for your donation 

6. Accept this virtual high five and kiss on the cheek from us. We're so grateful! 

If every envelope is claimed, we'll have covered $20k of the expenses, and this our child will forever know how many people sacrificed to bring him or her home. 

All our love, 

Katie, Robert, Brooks, and Maddox 

AVAILABLE ENVELOPES (Click to Donate!) 

 

Continue reading

In our home, we use passages like Deuteronomy 6:5-7 to help aid in our parenting and daily rhythms. 

You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. 

We certainly aren't perfect (far from!) but are frequently evaluating and adding ways to keep our home Gospel-centered.

Here are ten practices that help us.

1. The first is simple, and it's to let them see us reading our Bibles. I can tell them until I'm blue in the face that I value God's words, but they'll only really understand it when they see me physically choosing my Bible over other activities. Often times, I'll re-read what I've read in my quiet time (which takes place before they wake up) while they're awake so they can see me using my Bible in everyday life. Bonus: It also helps my reading sink in when I see the same words more than once.

This is the Bible I use, but I recommend most Study Bibles. The ESV is my favorite translation. 

 

2. We try to start our mornings off with a time of praise and devotion to to God. Right now, we're working our way through Thoughts to Make Your Heart Sing, and have really enjoyed the simple thoughts that provoke good conversation. I read over breakfast, they ask questions, I try to give everyday examples.

Then I lead them in a prayer that relates to what we've just read so they can practice talking to God and sharing their hearts with Him.

Lastly, we sing a hymn together. Mostly, it's me singing and them acting crazy (real life), but they're seeing how to worship God and this practice helps to start our day off right. No matter what, we've worshipped together and that's a beautiful day. 

(click)

 

3. We usually read a Bible story every night before bed, but we may move this to our morning devotion time when we're done with the above book. Regardless, The Jesus Storybook Bible is a favorite, but we've also used The Big Picture Bible and hope to use The Spirit of God Illustrated Bible this year to intentionally teach our children more about the Holy Spirit. We read one story at a time and point out characteristics about God.

As you choose a children's Bible, look for one that keeps God the main focus and not ourselves. After all, the Bible is a book about God! 

(click)

 

4. We try to play scripture-to-song music at least once a day (usually during lunch). We love Seeds Family Worship & Sing the Bible. Often times, we find ourselves humming + memorizing scripture without even thinking about it. I still remember some of the scripture songs I learned as a child, and hope some of these will stick with our children, too. God says His words never go out void, and I pray the scripture they're hearing softens their hearts to God's truths. 

Having your favorite worship music on in the background is a great idea, too. 

(click)

 

5. An older & wiser friend once told me that she used the Fruits of the Spirit to parent and something clicked in my mind. I didn't have to overcomplicate it or come up with our family values; they were already there for me to use! So now we talk about each one, point out when someone is acting in that way vs not, and pray for the Spirit to lead us towards these characteristics through His power. It's simple & helpful as we learn to love one another. 

I made this art print for Dear Mushka, really for my own self, and have it framed in our house where I see it frequently. 

(click) 

6. At dinner, we're working towards reading a Psalm together and then talking about it. We open up our "adult" Bibles and let them listen in as Robert and I talk about what we just read.

If you haven't caught on, mealtimes are are an excellent time for us to re-focus our thoughts towards Christ. They're expected and predictable, which helps all of us establish good patterns and habits. Do we do it 3 x day, 7 days a week? Of course not. But when we've worked 21 times into our week, we're much more likely to do it 10 or 15 times than if we'd casually tried to do it when we thought about it. 

We have a Psalm only Bible that stays at the table. I also love this guide to the Psalms to spark conversation or help me understand a specific Psalm. 

(click)

 

7. Beyond our Bibles, we're growing quite the collection of Gospel-themed books to read throughout our days. Reading is a skill & passion I want our boys to develop, and I think it's important to put high quality, engaging, beautiful books in their path. Here are some of the ones we read over and over (and over) again!

(click)

 

8. Scripture Memory is an area I want to grow in (for myself and my children!) this year. Last year, we started with Psalm 23, one verse at a time, until my four year old memorized the whole thing. We practice it a few times a month, but this year we're starting to use The Child Pack-- a scripture memory pack I created for Dear Mushka, just for children :) I tried to a year ago and we weren't ready, but now feels more right. 

One verse every two weeks. That's doable! And then I'm going to create them one of these boxes so we're constantly reviewing. I think I'll add this to our morning time together; it will only take a few minutes. 

(click)

9. We'd also like to grow in the area of serving others together. James 2 tells us that faith without works is dead, which really means that we can talk the talk all we want, but the proof of our faith and love for Jesus will come when we walk the walk. I want my boys to see that this world is full of need, and that God has equipped us to help one another through our actions. 

One intentional act of service a month is my goal, but truthfully I pray it becomes a way of life for our family-- constantly looking for ways to serve and love our neighbors. 

Ideas: Taking meals to new mothers, visiting our elderly next door neighbors or local nursing homes, donating money to adoption fundraisers, volunteering at various organizations around town, putting together care packages for those in need, sponsoring more children though places like Compassion International, etc. 

10. Lastly, we want to be a family who prays together, always. We want to see a need and drop to our knees before our Father right away. Sometimes, this looks like praying when an ambulance zooms by. Other times, it means we ask for God's help as we learn to love our siblings instead of kicking them. 

We also want to be quick to give God all the glory when we have a fun day, see a beautiful sunset, eat a good meal, etc. 

____

Of course (of course!) we don't do all of these things all the time. And the good news is that it's totally okay. We can rest assured that it is God who draws hearts to Himself, not our good actions. These are all ways we aim to intentionally plant seeds in our children's lives and set them up with lifelong habits to draw them close to God. But it is HIM who does the watering and growing. 

So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. -1 Corinthians 3:7

Continue reading

I've been making my own laundry detergent for seven years now and occasionally get asked about the recipe so I thought I'd share it here. 

It's easy to make, effective, and inexpensive (costing around $.14 a load). With three little boys, I do roughly 5-6 loads of laundry a week. This last batch lasted a solid nine months! 

You can find all the ingredients stacked together at Wal-Mart in the laundry aisle, or scattered a little at most Targets (it's hit or miss for me). You can also buy them all together on Amazon for a little more money. 

You'll Need:

One box of 20 Mule Team Borax 65oz

One box of Arm & Hammer Washing Soda (not baking soda) 55oz

Three bars of soap (not detergent) like Fels-Naptha or Dr. Bronner's

1 tub of Oxi Clean (optional- good on stains, but not "natural")

 

 

To Make: 

Roughly chop your bars of soap and put in a food processor until they're crumbled into bits around the size of a pea or smaller.

Combine all ingredients into a 2 gallon canister (something like this) for use. I pour in half the ingredients, mix, pour in the second half, and mix again. It makes a lot! 

Use around 1 Tablespoon per load. 

That's it! 

I'm usually asked if it really gets out stains and my answer is a resounding YES. If something doesn't come out, I soak in oxiclean and water and then re-launder the next day. I rarely have a problem. 

Continue reading

Have a lifetime or short-term goal to love God, His people, and His mission more deeply?  

Here are some pieces & verses to help encourage your heart along this year!

For Prayer:

Assist

Daughter

Eclipsed

Encounter

For Bible Reading:

Dawn 

Honey

Seed

Storm

For a Purposeful Life Dedicated to Christ: 

Aim

Crescent

Goodness

Puff

For a Controlled Tongue:

Cheer

Salt

For Marriage & Children:

Harvest

Gentleness

Self-Control

Knot

For a Mindset Shift:

Befitting

Conqueror

Lantern

Timber

Verb

For a Reminder to Look to Jesus in Hard Seasons:

Among

Ladder

Laden

Net

Continue reading

We moved into our house over the Summer so this is the first Christmas we're spending here. That always feels a little extra magical doesn't it? 

I promised you all a house tour months ago (whoops!) so I thought a little Christmas edition would be fun until I get around to a room-by-room post. Enjoy!

1. This fireplace is in the space we've turned into the dining room. We painted the brick and have plans to tile inside the no-longer-working fireplace space (and instead put a fireplace outside!) For now, the brass gate is up so that a certain toddler does not walk around soot-covered all day ;) 

I leave the "Give Thanks" banner up all November & December because it feels extra applicable around Christmas time. 

My favorite part is the The Little People nativity set in the corner. Mostly, my kids have fun throwing the people across the floor (#boys), but it also sparks sweet conversation. 

Mirror- Anthropologie (snagged on a big sale)

Small Trees & Give Thanks Banner- Target

White Bunting- Joann's Fabrics (I just snipped a few yards from a spool)

Brass Candle Sticks- Antique

Bigger Trees & Wreath & Basket- TJ Maxx

 

2. I found this dresser on Craigslist a few years ago and have loved moving it around from house to house. Right now, it's tucked into our kitchen and holds things like cloth napkins and table runners. 

The basket is for our mail and the large piece of art was a gift from my Dad a few years ago. It makes me think of him all the time :) 

I love layering in holiday pieces here for a little whimsy and fun. 

Abstract Art- One King's Lane

Born is the King Art- Salt Stains (she custom made this for me)

Nativity Art- Rifle Paper Co (I just framed a card)

Basket- Old

Wooden Tree & Lamp- Target 

 

3. I talked all about this book on this blog post & in my Instagram Stories (I saved them to my highlights-- "advent"), but this is where it will stay all month long. I leave this tray out on my kitchen counter as a constant call back towards God's word when I have a free minute. Having it right in front of my eyes has helped me keep my focus on Christ instead of social media.

Candle & Tree- Target

Tray- garage sale

Unwrapping the Names of Jesus- I'm so excited to begin this! 

Bible- I think mine is out of print, but this is a very similar option. 

 

4. Last year, we decided not to hang ornaments that didn't point our eyes back to Jesus. Of course, you can make so many things work (the rhino above... creation!), but it has been the sweetest way to turn our attention from a cultural Christmas to a Jesus-centered one. The boys love seeing their "first Christmas" photo ornament and talking about how Jesus came as a baby boy, too. 

 

5. This is the advent calendar I talked about on this blog post & in my Instagram Stories (I saved them to my highlights-- "advent"). It hangs in our dining room, where our Christmas tree is. Every morning, we'll pull out the ornament, read the corresponding verse, and hang it on the tree. I love how our tree displays the whole gospel story, from Genesis to Jesus, on Christmas morning. 

 

6. Our boys each have a touch of Christmas decor in their rooms, too. This banner is soft and perfect for little hands (we're getting really good at finding all the letters in "Merry Christmas"). 

And yes, that's the giant bear from Costco. My dad got it for Brooks three years ago and it is still a most-beloved item. 

Banner- TJ Maxx

Bed- Ikea

Sheets- Target

 

7. Another little peek at Brooks' room. Growing up, we always had a small tree of our choice as a night-light to use all season; I love passing down this tradition. It's the only colored-lights tree in the house and I have to admit, it's my favorite. 

 

8. We kept our kitchen pretty simple (although the two big windows are begging for some pine garland above them!)-- for now, just a wreath by the stove and a cozy cookbook in the basket is perfect. 

Basket- Target

Cutting Boards- Anthropologie clearance

Wreath- TJ Maxx

Book- The Year of Cozy 

 

9. This is my office & also our family library. It's my favorite room in the house, no surprise :) The chair is worn and faded so I just threw a king-sized coverlet on it and called it a day.

The art prints are so inspiring to me, four very different women all in conversation with one another. I often use it as a muse when I create new lines, picturing you all and your stories. 

Light- Pottery Barn 

Coverlet- I can't remember but here and here are similar

Pillow Cover- Etsy, shop no longer open 

Art- Elizabeth Mayville 

 

10. This is a cozy little spot in our living room. A flocked tree (from Goodwill!), a winter edition of The Magnolia Journal, and an extra blanket or two make a perfectly decorated space. 

We recently hung the gallery wall and, of course, I just want to stare at it all day long. My three men have my heart. xx

Frames- Ikea

Couch- Sprintz

Wire Basket & Tree- Goodwill 

Candle- Anthropologie 

Table- Overstock or Wayfair, I can't find a link. Sorry!

 

11. Here's a pulled back view of our living room. We added the walls to make the library on the end (it used to be one really long room) and use this space all day long, for reading and small groups and running in circles. The book basket on the table holds seasonal books, and my boys love to sit there and look through the new ones I put out. (Well, my 4 year old does. My 1 year old just likes to try to jump from the table to the couches...)

A bigger coffee table, piano, and maybe a layered rug are in the plans for one day, but I think there is such value in living in a space before you begin to add in/change too many things. 

Couch- Sprintz

Rug- Rugs USA

Table- Vintage

Art- DIY by me

Leather Chair- Vintage, from Robert's grandpa! 

Office Chair- World Market

***

As you can see, we love decorating with simple things (lights & trees mostly) that make us think of the Creator & Light of the World. Merry Christmas season, sisters. xx

Continue reading

Continue reading

There are many ways to anticipate the arrival of Christ and to keep our hearts focused on Him-- lights, feasts, songs, service projects... and even gifts. 

James 1:17 says "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change."

God is the very best gift-giver. Not only did He give us His son, but also every other good and wonderful thing in our lives. He takes delight in giving good gifts to us, which is why we can find delight in giving gifts to those we love. It's a way we can reflect His image!

Here are some ideas as you start planning out your gift-lists. How can we be intentional and Jesus-focused as we love our people well? 

For Her:

1. Faithful Women and Their Extraordinary God- A short, inspirational book to remind her of the Godly (and very human) women who have gone before her.

2. The Promise Pack- 52 beautiful verse cards for her to put around her house or memorize, one for every week of the year.

3. A Dear Mushka Necklace- Because there is little better than jewelry that keeps our hearts and minds focused on Christ.

4. The Citizen Sweatshirt- It carries a forgiving fit and the much needed reminder that she is a citizen of Heaven. 

5. A Dear Mushka Gift Card- So she can pick the piece her heart most needs in this season.

6. Sing a New Song- A lovely breakdown of each Psalm for her to use as a guide when she's reading them. 

7. The Prayer Journal Pages- Help set her up for a more consistent prayer life in the New Year. Bonus: Print them off and put them in a pretty binder for her! 

8. Humble Roots- One of the best books I've read in a long time, she'll love it from beginning to end. 

9. An Art Print- Christ-focused beauty for her home. Bonus: Frame it for her! 

 

For Him:

1. ESV Scripture Journal Set- He'll have plenty of room to take notes inside; my husband uses these when He meets with some men to study scripture. You can also buy them individually!

2. 12 Ways Your Phone is Changing You- A really interesting, scientific, helpful read as he decides when and how to use his phone. 

3. Systematic Theology- The best (easy to understand) guide for his office on every theological topic imaginable. 

4. New Morning Mercies- A gospel-focused daily devotional that he'll absolutely love. Bonus: It could be read and discussed at the dinner table with the family!

5. A CS Lewis Set- Classics he'll want to read again and again. 

6. Candle- A perfectly manly scent for him to light as he opens his Bible and prays each morning.

7. Soli Deo Gloria Tee- Glory to God alone, forever and ever. 

8. Pens- Wonderful pens to mark up his Bible and/or journal with as he learns more about God.

9. Hillsong Art- Encouraging art for his office or space. My husband loves these song lyrics... what might be best for your "him"?

 

For Littles:

1. The Child Pack- Verse cards perfect for little hearts to memorize and learn the importance of. 

2. A Baby Believer Book- There are five in the series, each one lovely for young minds with bright colors and a clear focus. 

3. Getty Kids Hymnal- Beautiful music from Getty Kids made to get your family worshiping God through beloved hymns. 

4. God's Very Good Idea- A wonderful book on God's beautiful plan to make people different from one another. 

5. ABCs of the Attributes of God Cards- Is there a better way to learn your ABCs than to focus on God? 

6. The Biggest Story- Another ABC method of focusing on God. Theologically correct and helpful. Here's the (even better) version for older children!

7. Little People Noah's Ark- Perfect for bath time stories about God. They also make a manger scene option. 

8. Bible Infographics Book- A super fun book to look through and learn from!

9. The Precious Tee- Because it's true, no matter our race, Jesus loves us all the same. 

Continue reading

Not to be dramatic, but this protein smoothie changed my life. 

(Okay, a little dramatic.)

But truly-- learning the importance of protein, fiber, and greens in the morning... and learning to remove the carbohydrates that immediately turn to sugar... has allowed me to feel full & satisfied until lunch time everyday. 

I make this while my kids are eating breakfast and put it in the fridge until I'm hungry. Oftentimes, it keeps me full until early afternoon. 

CHECK!

Here's how I make mine currently, but feel free to substitute as you wish. (I used to add the PB Fit powder and an avocado which is why it's pictured. I don't right now.)

Ingredients:

· 2 scoops protein powder (I love the taste of this one-- not protein powder-y at all)

· I scoop collagen powder (I truly see a different in my joints when I use this. Crazy!)

· a tbsp(ish) ground flax powder (the fiber helps break everything down in your body)

· a handful of spinach or kale (I keep mine in the freezer so it never goes bad)

· half of a frozen banana 

· a handful of frozen riced cauliflower

· 1.5 cups milk

· my Mix-Her packets (I use her greens and her pleasure)

To Make: 

· Add everything to your blender and mix! 

Note: We've had this blender for five years and love it. Our jar broke once and they replaced it, no questions asked. It's a little more pricey, but it's made 2 smoothies for our family every morning without problem. We've gotten our money's worth! 

Enjoy!

Continue reading