Life Keeps Coming...

I wish I could write something funny and light, seriously, I do... but the mood is so far gone! Life is running at me hard right now and I am so very very tired. We took a few days last week to sneak away to our lake house and it was much needed and appreciated... although the peace was short lived.

Abby had two seizures this morning that confirmed my suspicion she had one a couple nights ago... and so up again we go on one of her drugs to try and stop them. You see, seizures are tricky little creatures... that's how I see them. The longer she goes without having one... the harder it is for her to have one. Once they start breaking through... it's like they remember how to do it or the path they took and she can have another one easier... so I actually see them as visual little creatures of havoc. I hate them.

On top of that, in addition to the various heavy family issues... I went to the girlie doctor today. I have had two episodes of what I think are ovarian cysts rupturing and have been in some pretty hefty pain. My last episode was this past Saturday night that has left me in pain since. So today I was told I need to have surgery... soon... to check some things out and to see if I have endometriosis. I have been having issues since I was about 16 and so I am ready... I am ready for the next step and hopefully some answers and relief.

So that's the latest in a small nutshell... I will attempt to leave on a lighter note. Having looked at some of my friends blogs that include much more fun than mine (hmm hmm... Teecy), I have decided to add a little list of ten things you may not know about me (or care to know) to try and lighten things up.

1.) As a child, half my bed was in the closet to give me more floor space to play on in my room!

2.) My first kiss was in the 8th grade behind some bushes in his yard (he was a neighbor).

3.) I love frosties with hot salty french fries.

4.) I have written a couple of children's books that have not been published.

5.) I love to watch golf on television... and college football and basketball.

6.) I love storms. I think they are a personification of God's awesome power and beauty.

7.) I love dogs and really do not care for most cats.

8.) I used to have to clean feeders in a chicken house on my grandparent's farm when I was a child with bleach water... may have something to do with my fertility issues! ha

9.) I get passionately angry about things I do not agree with like abortion and taxes!

10.) I spent two summers in Gitmo (Guantanamo Bay, Cuba) as a kid before it became a compound and it was two of the coolest summers of my life!

There... see... everything is not so bad!

Let us Rejoice!

This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. ~ Psalm 118:24

In the midst of the pain my family is walking through, there is great joy in this past year of health that Abby has been so graciously given! We celebrated her 7th birthday this past weekend with a big birthday celebration!

In Huntsville, we got to spend some time with aunt Cynthia and uncle Hoyt (Floyd! :0). After visiting Sharon, we went to dinner with them and Abby had some pre-birthday celebration with a present and some carmel pie! I'm not sure what she liked better, "Happy Feet" or the pie! Thank you aunt Cynthia and uncle Hoyt! WE LOVE YOU!

After spending the night in the Hotel with Grammy, we made our way back home Friday in time for Abby's birthday dinner celebration at her favorite restaurant, Thai Spice, and back to the house for some more presents!

Saturday we had a fun party with lots of wonderful friends! Fun and photos to follow soon.

Adoption Update

We received some news that has led us to feel this last situation is not for our family. It has been very hard to come to this decision but we have a peace that God is in control and that we are making the right decision. We continue to wait and now have two more children to pray for... it was a sibling group.

Call upon the Lord... and He will answer...

Answer me, O Lord, out of the goodness of your love; in your great mercy turn to me. Do not hide your face from your servant; answer me quickly, for I am in trouble. ~Psalm 69:16-17

Life can come at you so quicky that you are left standing breathless and trying to feel your feet on the ground. You know that God is good and your faith is strong and yet you feel such a void in the inner most part of your soul that it chokes you. It is in these times that you must fall into the arms of the Lord with every ounce of trust you can and lie still.

My heart is breaking to see my aunt Sharon become consumed with cancer. Her physical body is being taken quickly and people who love her are watching with a helplessness that can't be put into words. It is happening so quickly.

My mom flew into Huntsville last Thursday and Abby and I met her there to go spend some time with Sharon. Her daughter Candi is taking care of her with strength and grace that only comes as a gift from our Father Himself in times likes this. I pray He continues to keep His hand upon her.

I am blessed to have so many prayer warriors in my life. I ask you to pray for Sharon. My prayer is that she does not have to suffer long and can be in the arms of her Lord and Savior soon. I pray she will be filled with love and comfort from the Holy Spirit and that she is covered with a precious blanket of peace. Please remember her daughters, Candi and Jamie, as well... her sisters, Cynthia and Debora, and her precious friend Sandy. Thank you all so much.

Adoption and Prayer Requests

Several of you have been asking about our adoption process. We are now considering a third situation and we need prayers from our friends. I do not want to share any specifics now as it is personal and just a huge life decision, but I do request prayers. God knows the issues we are weighing and bringing before Him and asking His guidance on and I do believe so fully in the power of prayer. So my little prayer warriors... very special and dear friends... hit your knees and ask God to clearly guide and show us what He wants for us. I pray for open and close doors as He has done before. Thank you all so very much. Your friendships mean so much to us.

I do also ask for prayers for my aunt Sharon. My mom's sister is very ill and her brain tumors have gone from four to six. She is not doing well at all. Abby and I are meeting my mom in Huntsville this week to spend some time with her and the family. Please also pray for her two daughters who are taking care of her. I pray for strength, courage, hope, peace, and strong faith for them all during this time. Thank you so much.

Abby is almost at two weeks seizure free again. We praise God for His faithfulness, mercy, and love! She will be seven years old this weekend and we are having a blowout party to celebrate her health and life! We are all so excited!

Barbie Makeovers!

My, my, my... these girls needed help! I do not promote bleach blonde ideals and so I am surprised it took me this long to give these girls a whack!

Abby actually came to me this morning and asked me to give one of them a hair cut. I happily agreed that this was a good idea and she went and got the rest! So, while she napped (didn't want her to watch and become scissor happy) the girls went to the spa. The funny thing is... I loved it. I may have just found another hobby... Barbie Spa. You can drop your Barbie off and run errands and when you return... she will be all hip and modern... no Pam Anderson wanna be around here!

I found myself looking at the way their hair was connected and coming up with their style. Then they all three had to be different. I knew I wanted one super short and so I did her second. She's my favorite, of course, and I chose the one with little pearl earrings so they would show up! Yeah...seriously... and then I gave the third one layers. I thought about bangs but the way it comes out of their head is pretty much straight up so I thought that would be a nightmare!

So she got some wispy long bangs that kinda fly out on the sides! (laughing hysterically)

So it is very clear to see that I had way too much fun playing the Barbies while Abby napped. She came downstairs just now and is thrilled with their hair. She's looking for others for me to cut! You will notice that the Barbies are naked. That is because most six year olds can only undress them and can't bend them enough to get the tiny clothes back on them! This is one of the reasons I loved the magnetic polly pocket clothes than then in turn made children ill and even die when they ate them... mercy. We are cursed with dolls that can't be dressed. So... I decided that they needed to have a photo of themselves dressed... for all our sakes as well... and so here they are... the three Barbies with their new looks!

Call me for an appointment... space limited!

One of the best books ever...

"An infinite God can give all of Himself to each of His children. He does not distribute Himself that each may have a part, but to each one He gives all of Himself fully as if there were no others." --- A. W. Tozer from The Shack

I love to read. I love a book that I can't put down. I love a book that haunts me, calls me back, and leaves me wanting to reread it again. I love a book that changes me.

The Shack is one of the most beautiful books I have ever read. Young is a brilliant writer and I can't help to think the Holy Spirit itself has left fingerprints on this piece.

The way Young personifies the Trinity is so intimately personal and real... just as they are. The way he describes certain scenes is almost like getting a glimpse of heaven... or having your "eyes touched and healed" for just a moment.

I devoured it in two days and now I am going back to reread it. There are parts I am going back to to savour and pray about. I am also making my list of people to send it to as a gift. So I say to you... READ IT, READ IT, READ IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Fourth of July Festivities...

The Fourth of July is always a fun holiday for us. We had our second annual pancake breakfast with friends who gather at our house to watch the parade pass around the corner! I was half asleep and didn't take any photos!

After cakes in the cul-de-sac... we caravan on our golf carts to the corner where we watch a "Hometown Parade" with the perfect blend of Patriotism, local advertising, free samples and coupons, and cheese factor!

After the parade there is some down time before we have friends over again for a little cook out. I was BUSY fighting the brigade of flying critters to take any photos of that gathering as well! Then after we have our fill of burgers, dogs, steamed corn on the cob, fresh fruit, and Angie's amazing fruit pie... we caravan on our carts around another corner to the lake to watch fireworks! This year we had the amazing and much appreciated gift of a gentle breeze! It was great and the fireworks were spectacular over the lake!

We love to gather with our friends and share life. It makes me very sad for SO MANY who are in foreign lands fighting wars right now. My heart goes out to them and their families as they sacrifice so much for this country and what she stands for... I pray for their safety and that they all return home soon... and I say "Thank You".

One Week Celebration!

Praise God for one week now with no seizures!

"I shall say of the Lord, "He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust." Psalm 91:2

Abby's "First" PB & J

Well, not the first she has eatten... of course... but the first she has made all by herself! When I asked her if she would like to make us sandwiches for lunch, she responded with much excitement, "Do I get to use a knife!?" That was the highlight! But here she is... making our lunch all by herself and loving every moment of it! We had been at her Brain Balance evaluation that morning and one of the questions she was asked was to explain the steps to making a PB & J. That type of processing is very hard for her and I was thinking that if she had actually made one, she'd have a better thought process of how to do it!

She was just giggling as she put the knife in the peanut butter jar... it was so cute. She was spreading the peanut butter on the same side with the jelly and I explained to her they each had a side... "Oh... sorry, that's my fault," she replied! But you know... who says they can't both be on both sides!

She added our carrots, our pickle and our chips to the plate and walked them to the table with a very wide and TOOTHLESS smile of self satisfaction! I love it!

Speaking of satisfaction... we are now at six nights seizure free! We are thrilled to have several nights and are looking to make the one week mark tonight! We only had to go back up to .75 mg on the medication we had decreased from 1.5 mg and so if we can hold here... that's better than we were! She wakes up each morning and we shout, "We praise you Jesus for no seizures!"... very sweet... I do believe the King of Kings does smile at that moment!

We did some worksheets today during our "school time" today and was blown away to just watch her trace a number and then write it three more times without tracing! It was great and she was so proud! She also finished a color key sheet by herself and knocked out a pattern worksheet... getting them all correct!

Blessed... blessed... blessed!

Our Precious Abigail Grace


This little smile brings so much pure and full joy to my inner most soul. We are running through our summer in rapid fashion! Abby has already finished one week of swimming lessons, has finished her first round of brain balance and finishes her evals tomorrow, has been to Poppy and Grammy's for a week and a half and is now going back for the Annual Family Reunion this weekend! She continues to grow like a weed and I am amazed sometimes with how grown up she can look and sound. One of her new things to say when you ask her a question is, "Oh... ok... sure!" It sounds so grown! We have seen much improvement in her processing abilities and her expression. Up until yesterday morning, we'd been seizure free for over 5 and a half months. Sadly, she had one yesterday morning but not last night or today and so we press forward and remain on our knees before the Lord for His mercy and continued healing.
So she has another round of swimming lessons when we get back. Look at her go! This girl was free style swimming on her second day in the pool with her wonderful instructor Ms. Grace! She loves it and is turning into a little fish!
Please pray God will keep the seizures away with His mighty and powerful hand! Thank you and be blessed!

Celebrating with David... aka "Brazie"

I am going to have to do this in bits. I am trying to catch up on life after being gone for almost a week and a half! We just returned from Virginia where we celebrated David's 18th birthday on June 1st and his graduation on June 5th! My mind still hurts to think my little Brazie is all grown and heading off to college! It is definately an "I feel so old" moment... I am having more and more of those. (sigh)

I am so proud of my youngest brother. He just totally is one of the coolest guys I know. He is smart, funny, talented, thoughtful, kind, funny, God loving, adorable... and ... did I mention funny yet?

My parents had a huge party for him on the 1st and it was wonderful to see him with his friends and surrounded by so many people who love him. Especially since his "thoughtless" girlfriend of nine months dumped him just days before his festivities!

Had to get that big sister vent in! He's hopefully getting a really cool job for the summer (should find out anytime) and then will be heading off to Liberty in the Fall. Hurts my brain... badly!

So we combined these events with a much needed vacation trip. I miss my family so very much. We are so blessed to be close and it is very difficult to the be only one not living there. Epecially now that there are three grandchildren. I am missing my two nephews grown up and they are missing Abby... sniffles... sigh... moment... ok, all better now.

My beautiful sister has some festivities all her own going on! She will be heading off this Fall as well... to join the Air Force! How cool is that!? And she looks adorable in a military hat... you know that is very important and everything! She has just not been feeling the college thing and is hoping to go into pharmacy with the Air Force. Her processing is later this month and then she'll be given a class date!

So Abby took this last picture at David's graduation. She is always wanting to take pics and so after I sat down she came over and said, "Let me take a picture of you guys." I handed her the camera and she immediately started barking orders... "Ok, be quiet, I am going to take your picture, ok, now everybody stick your tongue out," she piped! It was hillarious and so we "obeyed" and ended up with a cute picture by Abigail Grace Photography! She is such a hoot lately and yes, we are still seizure free!!!!!!!!! That's five months and counting!!!!!!!!! She started swim lessons today and I stay amazed and THANKFUL each and everyday for the life God is graciously giving her!

Ode to Kindergarten... and "Osborne"


I can not believe that today was the last day of school for Abby... this year has flown by and left me spinning! It seems just like yesterday we were taking Abby's first day of school pancakes picture! We were SO very blessed to have Mrs. Osborne... aka "Osborne"... again this year. She has become such a special part of our family... we just love her to pieces! I have a special place in my heart for teachers. They are such a very special group of people. To be so underpaid and have SUCH an impact on our children and their future is just a disgrace and sad picture the priorities of our country... don't get me started! :0) We didn't say goodbye because we are friends and will be seeing "Osborne" often... hopefully. So... we'll see you soon Osborne. side note: "Osborne" is what Abby has called her for two years... (remembering the Mrs. and Mr. is often very hard for her) and as Mrs. Osborne will say, "She's the only one who could get away with it!" xoxoxoxo









Field Day!


Yesterday was field day and Don and I went to cheer our little one on to victory! She was line leader and so she was first for all the games. We were so amazed that she did such an awesome job, especially for being first and not getting to see the other kids do it! We are so blessed and so very thankful for her physical health right now. As we watched her participate in the games, we were just blown away with how much she seemed to be physically on track with her classmates. She was jumping in her jumping bag, squeezing and hopping with her ball... and she had confidence... it was beautiful! She has been seizure free for over four months now and is showing signs of developmental improvement every day! We do not take one moment of it for granted and continue to pray for God's hands of healing and protection to be wrapped around her!!




I love to see her interact with her friends at school. She seems so grown up and they are so cute together. One of her best friends this year was Edith (on her left). This precious little girl came about mid year and spoke no English. Well, Abby, being speech delayed herself, became Edith's long lost pal and started making up her own "Spanish" to speak like Edith! One of her words was "Adrico!". She'd say it ALL the time and trill the "r". Anytime she was happy... "Adrico!"... anytime she was confused... "Adrico!"... everytime she'd see you... "Adrico!". Thank goodness we are past that!!!! It was better than the barking stage though. Abby has had a hard time getting her thoughts out. So when she has a rush of thoughts... she'd bark or say, "Adrico!"! This is the stuff of sitcoms!!!!! :0)



What precious, precious little girls they are!!!!!!!!!



So we are officially starting our summer tomorrow. I can't believe the school year is gone. We have been so blessed to be at Abby's school. They are so dedicated to the children and everyone there has gone above and beyond, time and time again. I am excited we will be there again next year!! I am pretty nervous about the first grade. I am hoping that she will make great gains over the summer again and will start first grade off healthy and ready! Pray, pray, pray!!!


Our little athlete!

Big things from little charms...

I continue to be amazed at what God is doing with my business this year... the year I was going to sell it. My latest endeaver with one of my newest stores has led me to an AMAZING opportunity!

The owner of Boulignini, my newest store to carry Georgia Jewels, has introduced me to one of her Zulugrass reps. I have been making bead clusters and silver charms that "clip" on the zulugrass bead strands she sells and they are a HUGE hit! The rep came in yesterday and LOVED them and asked if I could come in and meet her! I was in the chair at the salon when she called but made it up there just 45 minutes later to meet her and we hit it off! She loves my product and packaging and wants to present them to her company owners, the Leakey's!

This is really a cool thing for MANY reasons. For one, these bead strands and made in Kenya and Tanzania by African women and the Leakey family set up this company to sell them. A portion of the sales of these beads goes back to the women directly and they are building a community and becoming self sufficient! The second cool thing is that my colorful bead clusters are not only selling, they are increasing the sales of the zulugrass beads! The third cool thing is that I am going to give 10% of my sales of my charms to these women too!!!! The fourth cool thing is that I could be going BIG TIME really soon!!!!!

OK, breath. The Leakey family lives in Kenya with these tribe women several months of the year... you have to go to http://www.leakeycollection.com/zulugrass.php to see more about their passion for these women... it's very cool! They are coming back to the states in August. I could be meeting them then.... ok... breath! (giggle...giggle) In the mean time, the rep is forwarding my info and samples to her stores (in seven states) with the highest zulugrass sales so I can make charms for them too! And she wants me to attend a show she is doing in Atlanta in July to reveal the Fall collection!!!!!!!

So how cool is that!? How cool is God? How cool is it that with each one of these charms I am making... I am giving a little to a tribe of women and helping them and their children have a better life!!!!!!!!! I am thrilled to the core of my soul!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thank you God... once again... YOU ROCK!

Well...

Well, we got a call today from our facilitator. It seems the reason we haven't gotten a call from CA is because they can't get in touch with the mother. It appears she may have gotten cold feet. My first reaction upon hearing this was a sick feeling in my gut... but then I was fine. We have been praying for this little girl and her family... and her mother. We have prayed for God's will to be done and for everyone involved to be protected. So if she wants to keep her child... I praise God and pray that He will give her the ability to do so.

So the room is ready, our paper work is ready, and we are ready...waiting on stand by... we'll see what God does next! Your prayers in this matter are so much appreciated. Thank you for all the love and excitement you shared with us during this experience. Hopefully, we'll be doing it again soon! xoxoxo

PRAY PRAY PRAY!!!!!!!!

Oh my sweet friends and prayer warriors... please start praying for our new possible addition. We received a call yesterday about a three year little girl who needs a home. My heart is racing and about to burst. PLEASE pray for God's hand to be ALL over this situation... as I feel it already is. Please pray for the birth mother to be guided in God's will. My last prayer request is the biggest... please pray, whenever you think of us, for this little girl's heart. Pray GOD HIMSELF will prepare her for the transition that may be happening soon. Pray her little heart is in God's very hands and that HE will give her peace and let her see our love and feel safe. She is going to have a HUGE grieving process... please, please, please cover this child in your prayers and love. God is so very good and mighty and I know He will be here with us... thank you for your love and prayers.

Our God Rocks!

The coolest thing just happened to me at Starbucks this morning. I had been at physical therapy and hadn't had time to make coffee this morning before I took Abby to school. So after getting through therapy half asleep, I went through the drive thru at Starbucks to get a coffee for the way home. As I am in line, waiting to pay, I think to myself..."I'm going to pay for the car behind me." When I pulled up to pay, the cashier said, "The car in front of you paid for your coffee." My mouth fell open and I said, "No way... I was going to pay for the car behind me!" She continued to tell me that the lady had paid for that car too! Apparently someone had done the same for her the day before so she came back and paid it forward. So I said, "FINE... I'll pay for the mini van two cars behind me!" The cashier started cracking up and took my money. As I pulled away, I just smiled. How precious is my God to pay for my coffee when I have decided to pay for someone elses... what a tangible sweet gift He gave me today! My God ROCKS! And my coffee was great! Pay it forward... it's cooler than cool and very addictive!

I met my hawk today!

I was totally unaware until the last five minutes of our time together. But suddenly I saw it and was covered in chills from head to toe... as was she.

The past couple months, I have been struck with how many hawks I see. I love birds and everytime I see a hawk... I am moved by how "alone" and powerful and graceful it is. I always feel priviledged to see certain things in nature and so everytime I would see a hawk, I'd say outload, "I see you God... thank you for showing yourself to me today... you are majestic." Well, after several days in a row of seeing one... I started keeping count and I'd ask God as I walked to my car, "Show yourself to me... show me my hawk today." And when He would, I'd laugh out loud and be THRILLED that He was so... so there... like... "Ok... I'll show you."

So one day I was in the car with Don and it was about my 8th day in a row and I told him about it. He couldn't believe it and started looking for them too... he even showed me one. It was about 11 days straight and it got to the point where Don would call from a trip and ask, "Have you seen your hawk yet?"

Well, it has tapered off but I still see them often. Each time I do, I thank God and just get this warm fuzzy feeling all inside. So on to "meeting my hawk".

I had an adoption meeting this morning. Everything was going wrong. I couldn't find the directions they said they had mailed, I couldn't find an address for them on anything I had from them or online. I was calling like crazy for an hour (as I am blindly driving North on I-85) and there was noone answering. My cell phone was dead, Don had taken my car this morning and had my car charger... it was crazy.

With one cell phone bar left (I charged it 5 minutes before I left the house), my phone "whispered"a ring and it was Gloria. She gave me directions and I was going the right way and amazingly enough, I was there on time. We had our meeting and we really hit it off. I have been fearful of domestic adoption and so I wasn't really knowing what to expect. We had been going with a place out in CA but after our phone interview with them, Don and I both felt badly about the whole thing... it was weird. The next day, our homestudy lady emailed us with Gloria's info. It was a God thing.

At the end of our meeting, I was feeling very good about being there and being with this organization. We were talking about my back yard and I started talking about my bird feeders and how much I love birds and she said, "You know I am a hawk". "Hawk" is her last name. As soon as she said it, I was covered in chills and almost started crying. I looked up on the wall and looked at this bird I had been looking at while I was there and it was a hawk on a tree limb. She said, "Evertime my husand sees something with a hawk on it, he has to buy it."

I told her my story about hawks and she too became covered in chills... she is my hawk. She is my God sighting for today and I know, without a doubt, that God has led us to her to bring us to our second child.

If we had not started our adoption process for Kazakhstan, we'd not met Kelly... our homestudy girl. If we'd not hosted Karina from Russia last December, our relationship with her would have ended (at that time) with the final homestudy meeting and she would have never really known us so well. If she'd not emailed us about Gloria... I wouldn't have met my hawk! God is too cool and I am thrilled to see what He has planned for us next!

Saturday Morning Pancakes and Mother's Day

Our weekend always starts off wonderful with our Saturday morning tradition of Saturday pancakes in bed! Daddy makes pancakes while I steal a few extra zzzz's, Abby watches cartoons and Dusty drops his tennis ball on my head! His pancakes are THE BEST EVER! What is so very cool about them is that not only are they just totally amazing and bursting with flavor and crunch (granola).... they are egg and dairy free! He should totally trademark the recipe!!

So this weekend started with berry covered pancakes and my girl and crazy playful dog in bed with me! I love it! We had planned on trying to go to Stone Mountain but we had rain coming... that we very much needed. So after lunch and late showers... Abby and I headed out for the movie theatre. We saw Nim's Island and it was a great movie. It was very fast paced and I don't think my girl blinked once during the entire thing! We sat there in the theatre with our Twizzlers we snuck in (am not paying $20 for candy), our sodas (I did pay $8 for two SMALL drinks... RIP OFF!!!! next time I'll sneak in juice bottles too... just joking) and our SOAKING WET blue jeans!!!!! It was POURING by the time we got there and we had to run across the parking lot that was flooding and seriously... our jeans were soaked up to our thighs! And we laughed our heads off... it was great.

The sun was shinning on Mother's Day and after church we went to lunch with some friends. Then we were off to the park for about an hour and then we spent the rest of the afternoon on the deck. My two greatest gifts were "leisure time" AND my precious one falling asleep in my lap... as we sat outside and listened to the breeze (it was very windy and made a WONDERFUL sound whipping through our trees). As she layed there, I was overcome with thanksgiving at just how peaceful she was. She had fallen asleep many times in my lap... only to start seizing 10 minutes after falling asleep. I realized that I was not tense... anticipating it... begging God to just let her sleep this once... I was relaxed and enjoying the moment and it was beautiful.... thank you God for that very precious, priceless and intimate gift!

I wanted to send a "shout out" to all my mommy friends and just couldn't get to the computer...actually the storm knocked out our internet on Saturday but anyway... Happy Mother's Day to all my precious friends. I am blessed to have so many friends who are so selfless in the way they mother their children. I am inspired by all of them in a different way and it just enriches my view on one of the most wonderful roles there is in the entire world... MOTHERS ROCK and I love you all!

And I want to send out an very understated "THANK YOU" to my beautiful Mother. As I said in your card, you are the source of strength for me... you give me such love... I am warm just thinking about it. I treasure our relationship so much and am so thankful that you are here with me in this journey of my life... YOU ROCK and I ADORE YOU! Love you crazy.

Coming

Full

Circle

with

6th

store

this

year!

What a cool thing it is to be making jewelry for a jewerly store in my hometown, Boaz, AL! I am stamping necklaces for graduation for two high schools and it just makes me smile! :0)

A very sweet woman from AL has been reading my blog for over a year. She found my blog through a friend from high school who had me linked to her site. She had commented a few times and was always so encouraging. Not too long ago, after ordering a mother's necklace... she casually said, "Oh by the way, I own a jewelry store and have always taken an interest in your jewelry." WHO KNEW!?

So she loved the Mother's necklace and has ordered some for graduation to carry in her store! YEAH!!! That is just too cool. THANK YOU DONNA.... is it strange reading about yourself on my blog!?