Calling All Crafters...

The little red-head is nearing the big 1 year, and I've spent countless hours thanking God for how far we've come.  Her story has a shaky beginning, complete with some unexpected medical challenges and a stay in the NICU.  I blogged about those days here.  And while it was difficult, I would not change her story for anything.  I experienced God's love and faithfulness and healing power, and Lucy's birth has become a power chapter in my own God story.  I can truly say I am grateful for the experience.

But, the part of the story I haven't mentioned thus far is how much that experience cost.  Good gravy, medical care doesn't come cheap.  Don't get me wrong, I am forever grateful to every doctor and nurse who helped make my girl well, and they are worth their weight in gold to me.  But the reality is, I'm a teacher, and it doesn't take much to bust the budget.  And, almost a year later, I am still getting bills in the mail.  To the tune of thousands…

Fast forward to Laura's craft night.  She's one of those super cool cyber mom-artists you just know you would be great friends with if you ever met.  I follow her blog and stay up to date on what super cool things she is doing and making.  Recently, I attended her very first craft night.  She hosted twelve women in her home for a fun night of crafting and creating.  And it was amazing.  So fun.  So inspiring.  A food for the soul kind of night.

The next day, surprise, surprise, another bill in the mail.  This time I had an idea.  Maybe God gave me the craft night experience as a way to provide for all these additional expenses.  Wouldn't that be just like Him?  I contacted Laura, told her my story, and asked permission to use some of her crafting ideas and expertise to host a craft night of my own with the understanding that all the proceeds would go toward paying off Lucy's medical bills.  She graciously supported the idea and prayed for a successful evening.  So, here I am, nervously, excitedly, putting it out there…

Craft Night for a Cause

When:  Saturday, March 29th 5-8pm

Where: CedarRock lodge (30 minutes from Murfreesboro, 45 minutes from Franklin)

Cost: $40  (includes all materials and supplies,  just bring yourself)

Food and drinks included in cost

There will be room for 12-14 crafters, and we will be doing one craft, a fabric wreath.  Here are a few examples, but this craft is easily adaptable and you can make it all your own.


I will provide all the encouragement, instruction, and supplies you need.  A variety of materials will be available for you to create however your heart desires.  Please consider joining me for a night of fun.

Come, create, eat, laugh, and leave. No set up or clean up. What's not to love?

Message me here with any questions or to reserve your spot.

A Look at Lucy - 10 months

Things are getting super fun around here these days.  It's been a great month.

The new cool thing to play is "Where's Lucy?"

It looks a little something like this…and it's the cutest thing ever.  EVER.  

And there's something about the combination of Daddy's arms and this giant fuzzy blanket that  can take our girl from mid-stream, red-headed hissy fit to sleeping angel in minutes.  It's magic, really.

Official 10-month photos and stats:

We have a biped!  She's walking wherever she wants to go these days.

Says, "Hi, Momma!"  (In same high-pitched, over-excited voice I speak to her in.  It's hysterical.)

Four teeth.  Two in the middle on the bottom.  Two canines up top.  Strange but true.

LOVES to dance.  Music really makes her wiggle.

Favorite toys: Sam and the kitty piano (in that order)

Strange habits: pulling hair (hers and everyone else's) and tipping over trash cans

Monthly picture time is getting more and more challenging.  Only a few months ago, she would stay right where I set her.  Oh, how times have changed.  Now, I have to fight her from standing in the chair and power-rocking herself back and forth with her whole body.  But, she's happy.  Just like her Daddy and scared of nothing.  But happy.

Oh, and those perfectly placed watch-me-grow stickers?  

Detach and destroy on contact.

It's a good thing she's pretty :)

Valentine's Day 2014

That special day for lovers and little kids who love candy has rolled around once again.  Sam worked on his Valentine's all by himself this year.  And might I add, valentines for kids have come a long way since I was exchanging them in school.  They all come with candy or tattoos or some other super fun trinket.  He slapped some cute stickers on skittles packs and called it a hit.  

The kids' teachers got "I love you because" magnet boards and dry erase markers, so they could write love notes back and forth with their loved ones and post them on the fridge at home.  Sam and Lucy started with the first note about what they love most about each of their teachers.  My son's tech addiction was in full exposure seeing as how almost all his "love notes" were about letting him play with iPads.  Gotta love him.

Cupid brought valentines for all my loves and left them on the table for them to find.

Lucy knew she was cute in her new V-day outfit.

Sam and Daddy had Valentine's day breakfast together, complete with heart-shaped pancakes.

And me, well I'm a very blessed lady to get one of these for Valentine's day…

a heart-shaped lego valentine.  Be jealous.

Truth be told, I also go some new Pandora bling, a home-cooked steak dinner, and a new box of girl scout cookies.  What more could a girl ask for?

Snowpocalypse

The weatherman predicted a doozey of a snow storm for our area.  We were on the line of "maybe it'll be snow, maybe it'll be rain" the whole time.  Our county finally made the call to close the schools at 5:00 am in fear the bad weather would come and students would be stuck at school (which is what happened in Birmingham a few weeks ago).

So, snow days mean snuggle up at home days for this teacher and her babies.  

We started the morning off with some good ole fort-building practice.

What good is a fort without a fortress wall made of snacks?  

Oh, and safety first.  All who enter must wear swimming goggles.  

I had to post this one so all the Sam fans could see 

the full effect of static electricity on the ol' hairdo.

And, since this was Lucy's first snow, I had to have a photo of her enjoying her first experience with the fluffy white stuff.  This wasn't quite what I had envisioned, but it's what I got.  

Just keepin' it real.

Happy Birthday, Trophy Husband!

I'm crazy blessed to be married to this guy...

...AND, this guy, his alter ego.  

He's the life of our family party, and the perfect polar opposite of me.  It also just so happens to be his birthday.  And, as awesome as it is to be married to him, he's the most difficult person I know of to buy a gift for.  He doesn't need anything.  His clothes last forever.  I can't afford an Elk hunt (one day, I promise).  So, I did what any good wife and mom would do.  I asked the three year old for advice.  And, he didn't disappoint.  He had a great idea, in fact, he insisted he knew just the right place to celebrate Daddy's birthday. So, where did Sam think Daddy would love to go for his birthday?

Why, Chuck-E-Cheese, of course!

Pizza, games, prizes, a dance show every hour featuring the big mouse himself!  What's not to love?!

I actually thought Sam's plan was pretty cute, and I helped him with the minor details, like paying.  Otherwise, he planned the perfect Sunday afternoon celebration for a super rockin' dad and husband.

Happy Birthday, Trophy Husband, Super Dad, Scarecrow!  Know you are loved!

A Look at Lucy - 9 months

I am getting later and later every month on these update posts.  Life is so very busy right now, and free time to sit and blog comes at a premium.  Somehow laundry or schoolwork or cooking dinner always seem to take precedence.  Why do my children need to eat every day? :)  However, we managed to work in this mini photo session between bath and bedtime one night.

Official 9 month photos and stats:

Cheerios are a new staple on this girl's menu

Waving bye-bye right on cue

Still only two teeth

Standing unassisted for a few seconds at a time

Walking while holding my fingers

Belly laughing when tickled or while wrestling with Daddy

Finally starting to get a head full of red hair

Tortillas are this girl's best friend.  I think they must soothe those teething gums, so she loves chewing on them.  I don't mind this new habit though.  It's pretty smart really.  It's a whole lot easier to clean up than those frozen (melted) fruit teethers.  Oh, the things I've learned by the second go-around.

                                        

These are Lucy's buddies at school rockin' it out for music time at school.  Lucy doesn't even think about crying when I drop her off every morning.  She is laughing and practically bouncing out of her seat each day.  It's really nice to know she is having so much fun while we are apart each day.

                         

And, we have a climber!  We don't have stairs at home, but she is drawn to stairs wherever we go.  They are a fun game to her and a heart stopper to me.  I guess I better learn how to breathe and chill though because this girl is as fearless as her brother.

My babies are destined for the stage!

While waiting for Daddy to finish his gig at church, they can't wait to get up the stairs and onto the stage.  Sam created his own magic act and Lucy just smiled with pride in herself when she reached the top.  Love being Momma to these funny kiddos.

                            

One Word 2014: REJOICE

It's year number four of my one word resolutions.  In the past I have chosen, anyway, see, and tell as anchor words to drive my actions and thoughts throughout the year.  I have accepted life isn't always what I want it to be (no small feat for a type A control freak) and worked to live it anyway, imperfections and all.  I have navigated a year long journey to truly see God at work around me and in my life.  I have cultivated a more courageous faith stance and stepped out of my comfort zone at times to tell my God story to others.  It hasn't always been pretty, and it surely isn't perfect, but it's my honest attempt at self-improvement and personal growth.

So, here goes.  My word for 2014 is… REJOICE!

Before I go explaining my word, I must acknowledge what strange and uncharted territory I am in right now.  My whole life I have been anticipating the next step.  Anxiously waiting to mark important events off my life checklist.  Waiting to finish school.  Waiting to get out on my own.  Waiting to land the perfect job.  Waiting to find "the one."  Waiting to marry "the one."  Waiting to have a baby.  Waiting to have another baby.  Waiting on my sweet husband to finish his nursing degree.  Waiting to be debt free.  The list goes on and on.  But this year, I'm not waiting on anything.

Waiting implies practicing patience.  Long suffering.  A sense of longing or discontentment until the thing I was waiting on came to pass.  At least that's been true for me.  Only now, I realize I may have missed some opportunities to rejoice in what is.  To find contentment in right now.

Don't get me wrong; I still have plenty of things I want to do.  Save more money.  Visit Israel.  Build our dream home.  Dance naked by the light of the harvest moon.  (Kidding on the last one; that was for my Practical Magic girlies:)  But in the meantime, I want to intentionally rejoice is His plans and provisions for me today.  

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

If sunny skies lie ahead, I will REJOICE.  

(Probably more whole-heatedly since I prefer the sunshine and rainbows route.  I'm human.)

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Philippians 4:4

If His plan includes refinement for me this year.  Bring it, and just call me a rejoicin' motor scooter.

More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope.  Roman 5:3-4

And, if you catch me wallowing in discontent or impatiently whining over my own unfinished agenda, feel free to hold me accountable to my new attitude and demand to see my special REJOICE dance.  It's a good one :)