Hi! I’m Elizabeth and thank you for visiting. I write about my kids, my home, my grief, and creating a Purposeful Home. Welcome to Finding My Purpose!
Hi! I’m Elizabeth and thank you for visiting. I write about my kids, my home, my grief, and creating a Purposeful Home. Welcome to Finding My Purpose!
I took these homemade Buttercream Candies to a holiday cookie exchange… and they were a hit! With just a few key ingredients, these are such a good Christmas treat and can be customized with different flavors such as orange or coconut. Buttercream Candy for Christms.
Board & Batten is such a simple, yet classic, way to upgrade a room. All you need are basic tools and a few pieces of wood. It’s a good exercise in measuring, cutting, leveling, planning. Good luck!
We’ve seen the pumpkin pillows - here are the two best ways to make them (in my honest opinion). And each can be done in under an under!
Does God like glitter? My son’s question of the day.
My husband doesn’t. In fact, it’s probably one of his least favorite things in the entire world. When someone sends us a card with glitter, his response is always “what did we do to them?” or “Why don’t they like us?”
If you read my last post, then you know I started refinishing old furniture Summer 2016. Finding old pieces that were in decent condition that I could bring back to life became an addiction. We had more dressers, buffets, tables and nightstands in our garage than any one person should! After a couple of years, I slowed down the refinishing projects and liquidated MOST of my pieces
Benjamin Robert Gerlach, June 30, 2012 – May 2, 2016
This day five years ago began as any other day that Benjamin was in the hospital. Except this time, he was a bit more serious, was intubated and had been transferred from our suburban hospital to Lurie Children’s in downtown Chicago. It would end in a much different way than I ever expected.
No mother should ever have to bury her child. But it happens all the time. And recently it was a family we know, making my heart heavier and taking me back just a bit to the familiar feelings of four years ago.
I’ve been there. We lost my three-year-old son in 2016.
Ever feel like you needed saving? This is how ‘finding furniture’ saved me. When my son Benjamin died in 2016, I needed a hobby. I needed something to work on, something to do – even though I still had two of my almost-4-year-old triplets. I needed something (anything) to help combat this new feeling of despair, if just for a little while. I started rehabbing old furniture.
Have your young children lost someone close to them and you weren’t sure how to talk about it? Books can help introduce tough topics, and here are a few that really helped my family as we adjusted to life without my son.
I received a call from the PICU around 10:30pm saying that Benjamin had an ‘episode’ and I should come to the hospital as soon as I could. My husband was actually already on his way. I had been in Ben’s room all day, and Rob and I were doing a shift change. He would stay overnight.
It was a Monday.
For any mom who loses a son, you wonder ‘why’? Why did this happen? Why me? Why us? What could I have done to keep him well? And the worst question of all that comes from a place of guilt – is there anything I could have done differently to deliver a different outcome?
For me, I believe the answer is no.
Benjamin Robert Gerlach, June 30, 2012 – May 2, 2016
This day five years ago began as any other day that Benjamin was in the hospital. Except this time, he was a bit more serious, was intubated and had been transferred from our suburban hospital to Lurie Children’s in downtown Chicago. It would end in a much different way than I ever expected.
I started writing this a year ago at the start of the Pandemic, when we didn’t know what we were dealing with or what was going to happen. We were stuck at home glued to the news attempting to rationally absorb everything they were sharing. In the past, I’ve used writing as an outlet for release… and this was no different. I wrote this early on then forgotten about it. I’m sharing it now, over a year later.
Does God like glitter? My son’s question of the day.
My husband doesn’t. In fact, it’s probably one of his least favorite things in the entire world. When someone sends us a card with glitter, his response is always “what did we do to them?” or “Why don’t they like us?”
No mother should ever have to bury her child. But it happens all the time. And recently it was a family we know, making my heart heavier and taking me back just a bit to the familiar feelings of four years ago.
I’ve been there. We lost my three-year-old son in 2016.
My kids were accepted for ‘face to face’ learning in the classroom. That’s a good thing, right?
I think so. We did make the decision a few weeks ago to request ‘in person’ instruction when given the option by the school system … the three choices were ‘in person’, ‘temporary remote’ or ‘virtual academy.’ How do I even begin to process this? And what is the right choice?
If you read my last post, then you know I started refinishing old furniture Summer 2016. Finding old pieces that were in decent condition that I could bring back to life became an addiction. We had more dressers, buffets, tables and nightstands in our garage than any one person should! After a couple of years, I slowed down the refinishing projects and liquidated MOST of my pieces
I started writing this a year ago at the start of the Pandemic, when we didn’t know what we were dealing with or what was going to happen. We were stuck at home glued to the news attempting to rationally absorb everything they were sharing. In the past, I’ve used writing as an outlet for release… and this was no different. I wrote this early on then forgotten about it. I’m sharing it now, over a year later.
My kids were accepted for ‘face to face’ learning in the classroom. That’s a good thing, right?
I think so. We did make the decision a few weeks ago to request ‘in person’ instruction when given the option by the school system … the three choices were ‘in person’, ‘temporary remote’ or ‘virtual academy.’ How do I even begin to process this? And what is the right choice?
Ever feel like you needed saving? This is how ‘finding furniture’ saved me. When my son Benjamin died in 2016, I needed a hobby. I needed something to work on, something to do – even though I still had two of my almost-4-year-old triplets. I needed something (anything) to help combat this new feeling of despair, if just for a little while. I started rehabbing old furniture.
This was the simple question from my young son as I was helping him in the shower one night… simply trying to get him to rinse the shampoo out of his hair, for what felt like the millionth time.
Mom, I’m going to work over here.
My son said to me while we were clearing the snow from our drive and sidewalks recently.
Ok, babe, that’s great. You’re a wonderful helper, is how I responded.
There are moments I forget HE IS ONLY SIX YEARS OLD. This was one of them.
Hi, I’m Elizabeth.
And I’m glad you’re here. I have found a love for DIY, Home, Cooking, Travel and Family. Please follow along and hopefully you find something that sticks with you.
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