Making Your Home a Haven Challenge- I NEED YOUR HELP!!

pink bedroom graphic from art.com

I was reading through blog land today and came across Crystal's Making Your Home A Haven Challenge. The theme this week is Spring Cleaning The Master Bedroom. I thought I would join the challenge as I haven't participated in a while. Also , being that I have to de-clutter and re-organize to make room for my FDH in the next few months I want to solicit advice because I have never had a two adult bedroom. We both figured that my apartment was larger so we would stay there for a year and plan for a house.

The first thing I know I have to tackle is my closet. The next being my outrageous shoe collection and the third being my multi-use bathroom. I am a walking women's cliche', I absolutely adore shoes. They are my weakness. I am also an avid consignment shopper plus as I mentioned in an earlier post, because of my size I always get the pickings from those kind folks who down size their wardrobes. And my bathroom is a multi purpose room, I don't even know why the girls have a bathroom because they seem to be so attracted to mine! To top it all off, my FDH is also just as much as ,if not more of a consignment junkie than I am so his closet will also need to be pared down, ( unbeknownst to him!)

When I envision my master bedroom as a married woman vs a single mom, I don't even know where to begin. Maybe you can help me. I am so used to my room being an end all be all for me and my girls. Everything starts and stops in mommy's room. So the concept of a two adult bedroom is very new to me. I know what I like but then I guess I have to let him add a little bit of his style and ideas to our room. All and all I need help with small room organization. I don't want a messy bedroom, but what do you do with limited space?? Storage is out of the question for me because I feel that if you put clothes away in storage for a while, then you may as well give them away because you aren't wearing them anyway.

I know I want a peaceful haven of relaxation, happiness, oneness, openness and feminine beauty in my master bedroom. I want it to be the place that we both look forward to spending quality time in. No not just for the physical, but for the complete oneness of our relationship. I want it to be holy and peaceful and fun. So I guess I will start by minimizing the clutter of my closest, and getting rid of all of the outfits that I haven't worn in like two full seasons. Maybe brighten it up and make it look cheerful. Take the bathroom and separate the hair bows, and half-empty bottles of all the different lotions and sprays that I have. I don't know where to start but I know I don't have much time, so I am soliciting advice from anyone who's willing to help!!!!! What minimum cost methods have you used for maximizing space and organization. ( besides rubbermaid bins ;), also what kind of decorating tips can you offer that blend both personalities in one room.

Frugal Friday- My Simple Yet Creative Engagement

Today I wanted to keep up with Crystal's at Biblical Womanhood Frugal Friday momentum by sharing how me and my FHD and I have had to tap into our creativity to maximize our courtship/engagement for the glory of God without maximizing our spending.

First I must thank everyone for all the well wishes, they have certainly been a blessing to me. Being that I have been following Frugal Friday's for about a year now, I have learned so much form the different ones who post. In saying that, I knew that there was not way I could get engaged and forget it all.

Have I been caught up in the whirlwind of romance, YEP, but I found that there are some pretty frugal ways to entertain. For me, my engagement has been a family affair. So the small romantic dinners are usually loud, boisterous family outings. Honestly, I wouldn't have it any other way. Since he is an ex-athlete with the appetite to match, I have to cook for him. If we do go out, we share a meal or I will just eat off the kids menu or we will split an appetizer. Mainly, I share with my kids, because hey they never finish their food anyway.

Also, my FDH and I stand firm on our belief in an emotionally, and biblically pure courtship/engagement. Meaning, there is no alone time without adult chaperone's, ABSOLUTELY no touching of any kind, and no situations that will cause us to be tempted of the flesh. So what do we do? We find creative ways to always be together in a public setting. By doing so it allows us to always remember that our engagement is advertisement for Christ and it keeps us fighting the temptations that the enemy brings our way.Explaining this to some of my friends can be rather challenging, and my neighbors think I am absolutely nuts, but the difference between this and what I was used to in worldly dating is so much more beautiful. I love the fact that we can think of ways to be around each other and remain in God's will. They are memories that we will be able to share with our grandchildren.

One of the main things we do is to sit and talk outside on my balcony. I went to Fred's Discount Store and bought a cute little black folding table with chairs and I decorated it with a nice table runner and plant. When time allows we sit outside and talk. I have introduced him to the power of herbal teas. So I'll brew up some hot water and make herbal tea and we'll sit outside and just talk. This kind of proved to be a challenge this winter, but we dressed in layers, wrapped up separately in quilts and drank tea. I also cook for him and we sit outside and eat dinner or breakfast and drink tea.

This helps us fight the cost of always eating out since we don't visit each others apartments alone. Occasionally I have invited friends out, or cooked dinner and took it over friends so that we can hang out as a group and still take advantage of one on one time.

I believe whole heartily that trying to maintain an emotionally and physically pure relationship brings out the creativity in a couple. Plus it allows us to do what all couples should do before entering into something as important as marriage. We TALK!!! All the time, we just sit and talk. Best of all, it doesn't cost us a dime, and with all the money we save during our engagement, we can spend on our honeymoon!

Answer To My Prayer! I"m Gettin Married!

cake topper photo from stuartscreations.com

Okay, I have tried to be so suspenseful, and yes in my post yesterday I did mention that I said yes to my FDH ( Future Dear Hubby), but today I just felt like getting it off my chest and shouting it as loud as I could, with no leading stories or suspenseful posts. I am truly happy. I have been holding this in for a while, because I just didn't know how to jump out and say, hey I'm not going to be a single mom for long.
This has truly been a bittersweet moment for me. Am I happy that my life is about to change for the better?? YES!, but at the same time I am loosing a part of me that has made me so strong in the Lord. I still want my life to be that testimony to other single parents out there who are desiring not to be alone, and to have a traditionally complete family.

My sole desire through out this process is to:

1. encourage other single parents that living for God and waiting on him is the best thing that you can do for yourself, and your children.

2. Prevent past mistakes that I made from happening to others, especially children.

3. Provide encouragement for those who feel like they don't have a place to fit into. Life for us may be different, but we still are loved by the same God, and he will still accept us as his children as long as we obey and put him first in our lives.

4. To spread the word that Scripture is so, so true in that if you Delight thyself also in the LORD: and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Psalms 37:4

5. Finally, my desire is to never, ever forget where I started on this journey. Being a single mom has been a big part of my adult life and there were experiences that shaped me into the woman I am today, and reminders of the woman I want to strive to be.

I ask you to pray for me during this chapter in my life. Things are happening so fast and I feel like I am being caught up in a whirlwind some days. Wedding planning has taken over my life.

Also, just to warn you that my posts for the next few months will probably chronicle this stage in my life and continue to hold up the banner of the importance and beauty of a God honoring courtship , engagement and wedding.

Be Blessed and Stay Encouraged!