Affecting Julia Child

There's a scene I love in the movie "Julie & Julia" where Meryl Streep talks about flipping an omelet, and how it requires the "courage of your convictions" to flip it successfully. She demonstrates: flips and fails--with omelet pieces flying out of the pan--and immediately faults her lack of courage for the mess the failed toss has created. Then, adorably, she slyly puts it back together and says "when you're alone in the kitchen who's to see?"

I have thought about this scene a lot lately. I think it takes the "courage of your convictions" to do more menial things than we realize. I have found that most things worth doing deserve the courage of my convictions in doing them, and when I have the conviction, the "flippings" indeed are much more successful.

After a long absence from it, I have loved and treasured this opportunity to make a home again. I didn't realize what a part of me it was--the domesticity, the cooking, the cleaning. I've always loved to decorate--(who doesn't?), but the other stuff--the menial stuff--I missed, too. I would find I would go to my aunt's house for Sunday dinners and ask to sweep her floors afterward because I missed sweeping. I missed having my kitchen floor. And as strange as it sounds, I get it now. I get why.

So for the third post in a row, here are pics of us playing "house!" Jacob has been such a good sport, working tirelessly with me in my homing efforts, as apparently my desire to make up for lost time has been nearly insatiable.

The Kitchen!

This is where the "courage" part comes in: Guys! I made drapes! Thanks Peggy, once again for the sewing machine, and thanks to Cammy and Erin for encouraging me that, as they had done, I indeed could make drapes, too. I was a bit precarious with the first set above the cabinets, but by the time I got to these, I was driven!

They were tricky because I did them with a ruffle on top and since they were sheers, I had to line them completely. But they cover up all our unsightly storage just fine! Not too shabby for a first try!

Those pictures hung with ribbon remind me of you, Cammy. I'll have to tell you about them when you come visit. ;) And they're not pictured here, but Mac's bowls are displayed with pride atop the cabinets above the fridge. We LOVE them.

The Front Room!

There are pictures and drapes still to be hung, the lamps will probably go on the bedroom nightstands, we hope to sell the chaise, and if we ever get around to painting, we'll make it blue.

And the best part, we got all this done in time for our first dinner guests! Rob and Meghan Stettler, a friend from my major at BYU who is currently here getting her Master's in Arts Journalism at USC, came to join us for Family Night. She is such a delight. It was so, so great to see her again. We had Jacob's spectacular pasta and meatballs, salad, and cookies for dessert. We played a round of "Ticket to Ride" and "And It Came to Pass" and had a ball! I may have been distracted a time or two by the pretty soft lighting from the lamps in the front room, and the pretty green towels I just got for the kitchen. I've had way too much fun all around! We are so glad they'd come and spend the evening with us.

As a parting thought, this scripture I fell in love with last night and hope to immediately adopt as a practice with all the courage of my conviction--

Phillipians 4:8: ". . .for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content."