Tuesday's Thoughtful Tip

Take it one day at a time. That's it. No glitz and glamor today. I am worn so thin, yet not looking so thin! ha

I officially started packing yesterday. I made a dent today. I am feeling sad. There has been so much life, intense life, lived in this house. I am started to grieve.

On top of all these emotions, the sale of this house has proved to be the most "trying" of all we have ever sold. This, of course, fits right into the way our life has been for a good year now... not sure why I am surprised. The realtor representing our buyers is less than stellar and keeps passing deadlines and yada yada. Then the sellers of the house we are buying (who are back in Japan) also have a less than stellar agent who won't return calls or emails... making for some stressful days. Add in meeting contractors, carpet cleaners, painters, and a million phone calls and you have some very long days.

Then there is also the on going adoption saga... drama... journey... ride... roller coaster wreck.
The birth father was served his papers about a week and a half ago and so we were just waiting out the 30 days and thinking we were going to be able to get everything done before our home study expires in May. We found out today that in fact we can't get everything turned in before it expires and so we will have to update it, spending more money and taking more time. In addition, the birth father has made a meager attempt to do something... although it's not what he "has" to do... so we wait two more weeks and see what happens.

On a good note, our appraisal came in higher than we needed it to. That was a blessing.

So sorry I have nothing "cool" to share today. My life remains upside down and I am taking slow breaths and trying to take it one day at a time.

"I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, And in His word I do hope." Psalm 130:5~

I've got a button and a signature!

How fun! I have an official button now... and a cute one I must say. I also have a signature. A very sweet girl, by the name of Summer, at http://designsbysummer.blogspot.com/ designed both of them and she was SUPER affordable... crazy affordable... so check her out! She was also very patient with me as we designed it and redesigned it and then I struggled to figure out what to do with it! Did I mention she was affordable... like less than $10 affordable!
THANK YOU SUMMER.

If you would like to sport this cute little button... just copy the code beneath it (down on the left side of this blog) and add it into your gadgets section under the html/javascript option!

Be back soon...

My Little Sister is 21 Today...

I love this picture. My dad (step-dad with whom I have dropped the "step" for those of you confused) had just returned from The Persian Gulf War. Cynthia was two... I think. A reporter from the local paper caught this precious moment before they embraced and it became the front page. It is forever on my heart.

Cynthia is forever on my heart. I am so blessed to have her for a sister. I can hear her squeaky little voice in the back of my head... I can feel her little body sitting on my hip and see her little smiling face peering into mine. She loved to wear this pair of clip on earrings I had... "ring gings", she called them.

She is 21 today. Thinking of years in those terms... life is flying by in rapid fashion.

She is rapidly changing from a girl into a young woman... right before my eyes. She struggles with several of the same "lies" that most young women of today wrestle with. But as she draws closer to God... He is shedding light on who she really is... captivating, adored, chosen, beautiful, daughter of a King. She is being transformed and it is beautiful.

My daughter adores her. In Abby's eyes... Cynthia hung the moon. When we are with Cynthia, Abby wants nothing to do with me. And even though it stings just a bit... well, bigger than a bit... it is precious. She wants to be fully in Cynthia's presence... and fully enjoyed by Cynthia. I LOVE to see them together... it is a gift to see that love.

Cynthia is funny. She is impulsive. She is thoughtful. She is caring. She is raw. She is soft hearted. She is contemplative. She is loyal. She is strong. She is resilient. She is shy. She is bold. She is sassy. She is sweet. She is beauty. She is my sister.

As the Lord blesses her with another year, this are the words I hope she carries with her, close to her heart.

"You are a woman. An image bearer of God. The crown of Creation. You were chosen before time and space, and you are wholly and dearly loved. You are sought after, pursued, romanced, the passionate desire of your Fiance, Jesus. You are dangerous in your beauty and your life-giving power. And you are needed. As a woman who has been ransomed and redeemed, you can be strong and tender. You speak to the world of God's mercy, mystery, beauty, and his desire for intimate relationship. You are inviting; you can risk being vulnerable, offering the weight of your life as well as your need for more because you are safe in God's love. You labor to bring forth life-- in creativity, in work, in others. Your aching, awakened heart leads you to the feet of Jesus, where you wait on Him and for Him. The eyes of His heart are ever upon you. The King is captivated by your beauty." Captivating, John and Staci Eldredge

Cynthia, I love you crazy. Happy Birthday Beautiful One.

Tuesday Tip on

Wednesday

Our appraisal is tomorrow. Prayers are in order, as in everything that we seek in our lives. They are coming in really low... banks are wainkin out and have set all these new guidelines and it's really CRAZY and it's really in turn hurting the economy even more... anyway... prayers.

As for a tip this week... the beautiful world of JARS! We started recycling about a year ago and I am just amazed at how much we don't throw away anymore. It really feels good. That prompted the washing of jars before placing them in the bin and that prompted my little creative mind to start turning. Now, saving and using jars is like a hobby!

Some of my jars I have purchased... ssshhhhhh! But most of them are pickle jars, jelly jars, salsa jars, pasta sauce jars, artichoke hearts jars, and baby food jars (from my friend Ryan). Some of the jars I use without lids and some I use the lids (after spray painting them white of course!).

I use them for vases now. I don't even like to use my "real" vases anymore. There is something just much more home like in using a recycled jar! The baby food jars are going to hang from branches in the trees with little tea light candles in them after we move to our new house.

Here are some pics of jars in my home. Get creative, take a small step in helping the planet, and reuse your jars!

Cookie Jar- Wal-Mart (less than $6) Soy nuts are in reused jar

Shells and stones I collected on a beach in Sicily in vintage jars from Goodwill (about $3 each)

Large jar also from Wal-Mart with travel soaps, shampoos, conditioners, and lotions

(free from hotels). I put this jar in the guest room on a side table when we have guests!Pencils and markers and pens in jelly and pickle jars. White beans are added to keep pencil tips from breaking when they hit the bottom AND for texture and fun!

True and Precious Beauty

Her name is Susan Boyle. She is truly precious and beautiful. It is so sad we live in a world that makes guick judgements about people based on their appearance. I, too, am guilty. If you have not seen or heard, please click on the following link and grab a tissue. How I wish I could just hug her!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wnmbJzH93NU

Be blessed this weekend.

Easter in color. These are some moments from lying on the front yard during a beautiful Easter Sunday. Abby was a ham for me as I played with my new camera. And of course I had to get a shot of my little man! Notice Abby's white tongue from the coating of chocolate Easter eggs... mmmmm... looks nice!

I love the Sepia editing function! Here is Easter in Sepia! And Abby took the picture of me... she is ALWAYS wanting to take pictures. I think I am going to let her start taking some with my old camera now that I have a mac daddy from Fly Boy! I would love for her to start nurturing that side of her creativity.

Wishful Wednesday

I wish I could wake up in this bedroom, walk through this hallway, into this kitchen and have a great cup of coffee while the birds sing outside and play on my bird feeder... A girl can wish!

Hallway photo is by John Bressler.

Tuesday Tip...

OK. So my giveaways didn't work out the way I had hoped. I was trying to add some fun to my blog. So... I am just going to share a tip on Tuesday's now.

Today's tip is on how to have fabulous curtains for little money! Curtain panels can be so expensive and they are now mainly sold in single panels instead of packs of two... they are so clever. You may buy two panels at 19.99 each but buying a pack of two for $40 would seem like a lot more!

Here is tip number one. Buy one curtain panel, fold in down the middle, iron it, cut it in half, and hem. You now have two panels for the price of one. This works even better today than a few years ago because they are making panels super wide! I did this with our curtains in the Master Bedroom and took the "new pair" to our lake house... for free!

Tip number two is to buy a cloth shower curtain that you like and cut it in half to make two curtain panels. They have the holes in the top already that you can tie ribbons in to connect them to your rod or you can hang them with curtain clips. They usually have great detail and you can get a great shower curtain for $20 - $25 or less!

Tip number three comes from the famous Layla at one of my favorite blogs, the lettered cottage. She used painters drop clothes from Home Depot for curtain panels! They are made with heavy fabric, are neutral in color, and are hemmed on all four sides! How cool is that!? You probably could cut one of those in half too and make two panels from them. And they are just $10 each!

So hopefully being creative and saving money is fun for you too! Do you have a cool money saving trick you want to share during this not so flourishing economic time? Please leave a comment and share with us!

WOO WHOOOO!

Yes, that is a "Woo Whoooo!" I officially finished my LAST batch of taxes for my former business, Georgia Jewels! NO MORE BEAD COUNTING EVER!!!!!!!! I much prefer selling my decorating services! No counting needed... just shopping with friends, picking paint colors and decorating with them! LOVE IT! Mary Jane is my favorite "client" but her mom is a close second! :0)

In addition, Abby's MRI and MRS have come back clean/normal. This is always good news BUT we were hoping a specific thing was going to show up on the MRS because then we could treat it... but it wasn't there... still a blessing. She has been having a seizure a week but is coming up on a two week mark... I think. I have been taking melatonin to sleep and may have slept right through one. She had a DNA blood test done last week that may show us something... we'll see. As for now, she is loving school (PRAISE) and doing pretty good!

We had the home inspection done on our house today... one of our two major hurdles. We should hear something back by tomorrow. Once that is done and the appraisal is done... I can start packing. I am collecting boxes now from my friends at Anne Taylor Loft!

And the adoption is still hanging on out there. Seriously. I haven't shared much because I wasn't sure what was happening but the family is begging us to take him. We told them they had to come clean with the birth father's name and he has to be served with papers to sign. He is in Texas and "should" be served this week. He has 30 days to respond. Mercy. It's going to be a long and crazy month but we keep TRYING to keep our eyes on the Lord and take it ONE DAY AT A TIME.

Happy Monday. I hope to post something fun tomorrow and someone is making a link button for my blog!

He Reigns

Amidst all the drama of my life, I am struck and must write about this time of year. My life would be nothing if it were not for the gracious and living love of my Lord and Saviour.

"And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?"- which means, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" Mark 15:34
"With a loud cry, Jesus breathed his last. The curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. And when the centurion, who stood in front of Jesus, heard his cry and saw how he died, he said, "Surely this man was the Son of God." Mark 15: 37-39

To celebrate the resurrection of Christ, you have to slip back and revisit his crucifixion. Christ died for every man who believes in Him. It was not an easy death. It was a prophesied death. It was a necessary death. It was the most important death of all time. It was a very painful death.

Christ knew he would die. He was deity made man... and yet he implored God to let this cup pass from him. "My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death, "he said to them. Stay here and keep watch." "Going a little farther, he fell to the ground and prayed that if possible the hour might pass from him. "Abba, Father, " he said, "everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will." Mark 14: 34-36

He was Jesus. He was Christ. He was God's son. And yet he is facing the most horrible thing and he has done NOTHING to deserve. And to top it all off, He is doing it for people who are spitting at him, mocking him, stabbing him, and rejecting him. Can you even try and imagine?

"Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen!" Luke 24: 5

This is the most beautiful picture of God bringing beauty from ashes. Christ is risen and salvation is made possible. True relationship that was lost with the fall of Adam and Eve is made available again. Eternal life is offered. Can you not keep from raising your hands and praising His almighty name!?

"Give thanks to the Lord, call on his name; make known among the nations what he has done. Glory in His Holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice. Look to the Lord and His strength; seek his face always." Psalm 105: 1, 3,4

"And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show his incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus." Ephesians 2:7

When we become a believer and are buried in baptism with Christ, we are raised up out of that water and raised from the dead... just as Christ rose from the dead. We were walking dead in our sins and are raised into new life with Christ. The symbolism here is one of the most beautiful in Christianity!

Yet, it does not stop there. We are called to die daily to ourselves and to live for Him. THAT is the biggest spiritual battles we face each and every day. "Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with Him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too might live a new life." Romans 6: 3, 4

And that is what brings me to this post. I try not to be preachy. But I DO strive to live my life for the Lord and I pray that He is glorified and that others can see Him alive in my life and want the same in theirs. I walk through sufferings, challenges and trials with the Lord by my side... with Him carrying me at some points, and I pray that anyone who knows me can know that this very same and one and only God can and wants to do the same for them.

I have my good days. I have my bad days. I have days where my faith is strong and my soul is energized with the strength of the Lord but I also have days when I am depleted and I fall to the ground and beg the Lord to stop. I am only human.

But the beautiful thing is the Lord loves me on the good days and he so loves me on the bad days. The Lord is there for me on the good days and he is so there for me on the bad days. How lucky I am, we are, to have a God who loves us as a Father loves his young child.

So I was a bit preachy today... and I don't apologize. I wrote this as a reminder to myself what this holiday is really about. As I continue to walk this challenging path, I am humbled that God's son walked one harder than mine... for me.

I pray you can fall onto your knees today and rejoice in a God who sent His son to die for us. I pray you can rejoice in the fact that Christ is ALIVE and so very active in our lives today. And I pray that you are reminded that HE REIGNS!

Happy Easter my dear and precious friends. I LOVE your comments. I makes me feel that our blog friendship is a two way friendship. I give in the posts and you give in the comments. They make me smile. They make me feel loved. The comments from people I have never even met, yet God has brought here, hold a very special place in my heart (Jill, Donna, Colleen) and many more.

Love and hugs to you all!

photo by http://www.musecatcher.etsy.com

I Love It!

Yeah... something worked out! I love it. I was so nervous the super blonde parts were going to turn black (they have in the past) but I have learned that Feria is a great product!

It's actually a tad lighter than I wanted... but that's cool since I can always do it again a few weeks from now and maybe darken it up some. I left it on for 45 minutes instead of the recommended 25... thankfully or I would have had some major red tones going on. It always takes my hair longer to process.

This is my 500th post, by the way. What better thing to blog about than new hair!

So what do you think...? Seriously... I want comments... and more than three! Have a wonderful Wednesday.

All The Important Things...

Amidst all the chaos, I am considering two "important" things.
1.) Paint colors for the new house
2.) Going back brunette

Now, number two is seriously happening tonight. After my last appointment of highlights came with a $130 price tag... I said, "No More!" So, the roots are way out and I just purchased "Moonlit Tortoise" by Loreal "Feria" for a whole $9.99. So... we'll see if I am up to posting a picture tomorrow or if it will have to wait for a few washings. Wish me luck...

Hmmmmm... wonder if I am going to look like her when it's done!? Did I mention I am VERY VERY VERY nervous!?

Monday and such...

Well, this week has started with a BANG! We sold our house Sunday and got a contract on the one we wanted to buy. This should bring excitement BUT there is still much to be done. We are nervous about our appraisal as they are way down in this less than fabulous economy. We got a great offer on our house and so now we just need the appraisal to match! (Prayer request number one!) I KNOW the Lord can do anything!

We are also trying to get some last minute maintenance items finished before the home inspector comes out on this one. One of which is replacing all the gutters. We had someone lined up to do that and then they just called today to say they can't do it for the amount they quoted us and want $300 more. Fly Boy will have to deal with that one tonight. (Prayer request number two!)

We are having the home inspection done tomorrow on the one we are buying and are hoping that everything is fine there. (Prayer request number three!)

Lastly, THANK YOU all for your love and your prayers. God reaches out to me through you and I am so touched by your words of encouragement and emails of kindness and love. Thank you for walking this emotional path with me, with my family, and supporting us. I love you all so very much.

There are some new issues that have presented themselves in this adoption situation... can you believe it? I am not going to write about specifics now as Fly Boy and I are in prayer and much conversation about them. God has shown us that HE remains in control and HE can be glorified that by us walking away... untruths on the part of the birth family have been brought out of the darkness and into the light. I KNOW without a doubt that this was part of God's plan and His will in how things happened and it excites me to the depths of my soul to see my Savior's sovereignty in action! I will share when I can... until then... because I know you have nothing else to do... you can add this as prayer request number 4!

P.S. This is a card I have made for a friend and I wanted to share it with all my blog friends as well! Hugs...

Have a beautiful day.

Sunday... A New Week

Flowers For Me...

I am sad today. I was ok on Tuesday. I felt God was in control and as prayerful as we have been through this whole process (over the past year and a half)... I had peace in that. I felt even better about it Wednesday. Thursday we drove home... with an empty carseat... and we decided to close this door and move on with our lives.

Just hours after being home, the lawyer called to say the birth mother again wanted to sign. We said we were not going to move forward.

Now I am overwhelmed with doubt and frustration and plain out anger... sprinkled with deep sadness of what may have been and complete exhaustion.

So I am looking for God's peace to return and I am angry it is gone. I am angry to be so manipulated. I am sad for the little one. His name is Marc. We were going to keep that name and change his middle name to Jacob. He was going to be Marc Jacob Sullivan and we were going to call him Jake.

I am praying that God has another family waiting who will not have to go through all this drama and just be able to swoop in and love him. I am praying my peace will return soon as I am rocking in wild waves of an angry storm.

So these flowers are for me today... I am giving them to myself... hoping the beautiful colors and textures will bring a smile to my heart.