Coziness!

Hey everyone!  I'm so sorry for the length of time since my last entry.  Time flies!

I want to introduce a word to you today...coziness.  I do not think it is even a real word, but in my mind it is!  Stick with me here.  Dave, Eli, and myself traveled to Northwest Ohio for Thanksgiving.  Actually we went well before Thanksgiving and were back in Georgia for the actual day.  We left Evans, Georgia at about 7:00 p.m.  Funny thing is we had to drop off a cupcake order on our way out of town!  Eli was all comfy in the back seat.  Dare I say cozy?!  He had a blanket, his pillow, Floppy, Cheetos (if you give your kid Cheetos in the car please have wipes handy...I learned this the hard way), a water bottle, and his little DVD player with a VeggieTale movie.  About 30 minutes into the trip he asks how much longer!  We said, "well Eli, only 11 more hours!"  He fell asleep about two hours later and slept most of the trip.  We made it to Dave's parent's house the next morning.  We were thankful to God that He allowed us to arrive safely. 

Going back to Ohio is a tough thing for me.  Don't get me wrong I LOVE seeing my family.  I knew that I would get to see all my little nieces and nephews and that I would get to hang out with my awesome sister-in-laws, Amanda and Rachel.  It is a rare thing that all the Limbirds get to be together.  I also could not wait to see my dad!  My sister and I had plans to enjoy each other's company one afternoon and they could all not wait to see Eli.  I was hoping to get to see my Aunt MiChelle and her kids, Alyssa and Kaiden.  My sister also has a wonderful boyfriend who has children and we all enjoy our time together.  My point in telling you all of this is that there are many, many aspects of traveling to Ohio that are very good.  I am not going to lie though.  It's hard.  It makes me miss my mom and I struggle with thoughts over the last few times I was in Ohio before she passed on to her heavenly reward.  She also would cook up a storm for Thanksgiving making the best turkey, stuffing, sweet potatoes, corn casserole, and apple pie you have ever had.  If you have ever been to my parent's house you know it's cozy and inviting.  My mom had a God-given knack for decorating and art.  She painted beautiful pictures and just put her fingerprint on any room she decorated.  Even now when you enter that house you feel her presence in all the creativity around you.  When I walk in and feel that presence it usually makes me sad because it makes me realize once again that she is no longer there.

So as we traveled from Dave's parent's house to my childhood home (only about a 15 minute drive) the first evening I felt that usual sickness in the pit of my stomach.  I just knew that I would walk in and be smacked with the concept of her absence.  Something different happened this time though...I walked in and I felt a tremendous coziness.  My mom LOVED being cozy.  She could make everything cozy.  Every room in the house is cozy.  Even her huge Fifth Wheel camper was cozy!  I remember one March at a very cold horse show she and I camped on the show grounds.  I had been riding my horse one cold evening and when I came back to the camper with freezing fingers and toes she had prepared hot chocolate and had the fireplace going (yes her camper had a fireplace).

Coziness is hard to explain.  The dictionary says cozy means, "to be snugly warm and comfortable."  Mom took her role as a homemaker very seriously.  She painstakingly made that house a home.  She had a gift of taking something mundane and turning it into something special.  Even a trip to Wal-Mart with her would be all kinds of fun.  When I was a kid I couldn't wait to get home after school because I knew she would be there and would have time for me...and a wonderful snack (often times fresh chocolate chip cookies).  I firmly believe she had many gifts from God.   One gift was to make small things special.  She had the gift of creativity and God clearly gave her the ability to make a house a home. 

As Dave, Eli, and I approached the door I could smell the wood burning fireplace burning.  One chore I had as an adolescent was to take the cut wood from the barn and dump it through the open basement window for the furnace.  I never understood how people changed the thermostat without first "firing up" the furnace!  Anyway, my dad was sitting in a leather chair with his feet propped up in front of the fireplace.  I looked around and felt a huge hug from my mom.  I still missed her tremendously and cried a few times while I was there, but realized what a gift she had and how she passed it on to me.

Dave and I are cozy people.  One of our favorite places to go every fall is the north Georgia mountains and stay in a wonderfully cozy cabin.  We are a comfy pant, fireplace, and chill weather kind of family.  When Eli gets home from school the first thing he wants to do is get cozy which means to put on his jammies.  This occurs on the days he does not wear his dragon costume!  He likes being "cozy to the coze!"  In the summer when it's 8,000 degrees outside I want the air conditioning turned way down so I can still be cozy!  I believe my mom taught me to put a priority on making our house a home, to make it inviting, and to make it feel safe.

Being at home I realized that she dedicated her life to her family and home.  She was a big personality and left an incredible imprint on that house.  Being home I became so thankful that I knew her and that she took the time to teach me such important lessons.  I am so grateful that God put in me that same creative gene.  While I was there I did a great deal of cooking and baking which is also a trait I got from my mom.  I got out her big pot and made her chili recipe.  As it simmered I sat at her kitchen table and missed her like crazy, but also felt grateful that she taught me to be a homemaker and mom.  She taught me how fantastic it is to be COZY! 

The following verse is one that reminds me of my mom.  This blog entry isn't based on a Bible study this time, but just thoughts on our trip to Ohio.  I hope you enjoyed it and the Lord spoke to you in a personal way.

Proverbs 31:10 An excellent wife who can find? She is far more precious than jewels.