Blogging For Hope...

I said a couple of weeks ago that I would do a post from time to time about those who are raising funds to raise hope...

My cousin and her husband will be leaving for China soon to adopt their 2nd child and today they did a Both Hands project for a widow in their community...  You can read about it here, Stitching To China.  Would you consider making a small donation to them?  Even $5 from 20 people adds up to $100 pretty quickly...  You can click here to make a donation...  Both Hands  Once you're on the page, you have to scroll down to November 20 and look for Brook and Stefanie.

I also wanted to tell you about a dear friend's daughter who is taking on the impossible...  She actually tells the story far better than I can, so I encourage you to read her words at Ghana Rock.  But this is an amazing young woman who felt the nudging of God and stepped out in utter faith and obedience...  I can't wait to see what God will do through her!  She is 16 years old and is taking on planning a concert to raise funds for an orphanage in Ghana...  I'm 45 years old and wouldn't have a clue where to begin to do something like that and yet she steps out in faith believing God for the impossible!  It's an inspiring story!

And just a quick update...  I'm so close to opening my web boutique for my jewelry!  I'm in the process of uploading my inventory, so hopefully in another week I'll be posting the first items...

Blessings!

Some Days I Wish I Were My Dog!

Today was one of those days...  I'm sure most of you can relate to this but today I have worn more hats than should ever be reasonably expected of one person, no wonder my brain feels like mush and I don't want to cook dinner!

As I think through my day...  I have been President of my Jewelry Company, lead designer, photographer, VP of Marketing, CFO, Accounting Specialist, Purchasing Agent, Inventory Specialist, Taxi Driver, Gas Station Attendant, Reading Specialist, Soccer Team Uniform organizer and distributor, team photographer, trouble shooter, listener, work-out mama, menu planner, master scheduler for not one, but 5 people and now I'm supposed to cook dinner and sort photos for the high school slideshow and to top it all off I need to be a maid and laundress...  REALLY?!


Well, this taxi driver is about to drive her children to Chick-Fil-A and let them be the cook, and if the cleaning and laundry fairies don't come by, then I'll have just have to have a messy house with dirty laundry...  Oh Well!

And we wonder why we're tired!

I caught this photo of our dog this morning when I was photographing jewelry for the website...  Right now, it would definitely be nice to be my dog!!

I'm Just Not Ready!

In some ways, this post will seem completely absurd, but it's been building for a year or so and I'm just going to lay it out there...  I'm just not ready to think of Zack, our oldest, graduating from high school!

Tonight ended Zack's junior year soccer season and with it came the resounding reality that I only have one more high school soccer season left...  It leaves me wondering, will the next 18 months be measured by 'one mores' and then 'lasts?'


Somehow I think the answer to that question is a definite yes...  

I can't imagine what life will be like when he is not a daily part of it...  When he doesn't call me to ask me when I'm coming to the soccer game because somehow he's missed packing his game jersey?  Or, have I seen his shin guards because he can't find them!  (Oh yeah, sorry Zack, I borrowed them the other night and forgot to put them back... NOT)  Don't tell him, but I will miss all of this terribly!

I can't imagine a fall or spring without terrible refs...    Soccer games...  Impossible schedules...  Freezing cold and rain...  We've watched him play soccer since he was 4, it almost becomes a part of who you know yourself to be!

It is a gift to watch our children grown into adults and while I am thrilled that he is becoming the man we long for him to be, I'm just not ready!

I think the best use of my current (and slightly unreasonable heartache) is to remember to savor each moment!  I will never get back the days that lay ahead, I pray that I will savor each one with no regrets!

New T-Shirt

I'm so excited, my new Show Hope t-shirt is here!!  I bought it  from Lori at Joy Unspeakable (she's selling them as a fundraiser to bring their 3rd adopted child home!)  It's a GREAT shirt, in fact, I'm wearing it right now!!  Stop by her blog and check it out...  

Blogging For Hope...

Hi...  I thought since I was designing jewelry for hope, I could start blogging for hope too...  From time to time, if you have a fund raiser that you're doing to raise money to adopt your precious child, please let me know and I'll post a link to it...

Here are three that I know of right now... (Just click on the words in red and it will take you right to their site!)

Kirstin and her husband are adopting from Ethiopia.  I first met Rob on a trip to Africa, last November, he was one of the lead pastors and he is a full time youth pastor.  This summer I was blessed to meet his wife on the August trip!    She sews the cutest things and is selling them to help fund their adoption...  She's got some really fun things, great gift ideas!!  Here is a link to her store...Journey to Africa

A great give-away over at Suzanne's blog!  One Less Broken Heart

And Lori is selling an awesome Show Hope t-shirt from Steven and Mary Beth Chapman's organization, a portion of the proceeds go to Lori and her family's adoption...   Joy Unspeakable  Now that I've lost some weight, I'm heading over to her website right now to order one!


Please leave me a comment if you would like me to post a link to your fundraiser...  If I have enough, I'll try and do it once a week, or if I don't have new ones, maybe I'll just keep reminding you about the ones I do know of!

What better way to bring hope to a child than by helping unite them with their forever family?!

Savoring the Moment

savor - v. "to give oneself to the enjoyment of..."

Last week was not a banner week... In the greater scheme of things, nothing too serious was happening, but some times life just piles on and it feels overwhelming...  Like the current invasion of a mouse, or maybe mice, in our kitchen and laundry room ... 

So on Friday, I had a few minutes and I thought some Marshall's therapy might help (not very spiritual I know)...

Since March, I have lost 25 pounds and I've been working out regularly, so every once in a while, it's fun to go and see how clothes look on my newly emerging figure...

I tried on a few things, but just wasn't in the mood to buy, so I decided to wander around for a few minutes...  As I was wandering, a woman walked passed me with a stroller and even though I couldn't see the child, he was just chattering away to himself with those sweet baby noises...

We passed going in opposite directions, but then ended up on the same aisle...  And her sweet child just contentedly kept making his little noises...  I almost didn't say anything, after all, even the south isn't always the friendliest place to strike up conversation with a stranger...  But after arguing with myself for a minute, I walked up to her and said, "Those are the sweetest noises I've heard in a long time."

She looked puzzled for a minute and then she said, "Oh my goodness, I had completely tuned them out."  We talked for a minute, I told her that my oldest was 17 now and that the years flew by and I encouraged her to savor these moments...  As she walked off, she looked back at me and said, "Thank you."

Such a simple little thing that made a difference in a person's day...  It took me completely by surprise.  It's sad to me how we get so busy with our lives, so focused on our task that we don't take the time to speak into people's lives, I am so guilty of that...  But it also made me wonder, how much of my own children's lives have I just tuned out?

I've been reading Mary Beth Chapman's new book, Choosing To See, and it's wonderful!  It has made me realize that I need to be so careful to savor life instead of just gulping it down and barely experiencing it, especially where my husband and children are concerned.

Funny, but one of the greatest blessings that has come out of my new jewelry business is that I sit still, for hours sometime, in one place.  I have had some of the most wonderful conversations with our kids, Mackenzie especially..  And I'm so thankful that God found a way to slow me down for a season and relish the grown people that our children are becoming...  They're pretty amazing and I don't want to miss another second of their journey to adulthood...

Is there someone you need to savor a moment with today?

Photos... (Finally!)

So if you're new to my blog, I just recently restarted my jewelry design business as a way to earn money to continue going on trips to Africa (see the post before this one)... 

Well, we did the "Arts & Antiques Festival"...  But it turned out to be more of a flea market than how it was promoted... Oh well, live and learn...  But I thought I would still give you a preview of some of my favorite pieces of jewelry...  Before long I'll be making some of the designs available on my new website.

This first piece was one of my favorites...  A man and his wife came by my tent at the show and she loved the necklace but didn't want to pay the price.  It was made from dyed opal beads and I couldn't really come down on the price, so she decided not to purchase it.  A little while later her sweet husband slipped back over to the tent and purchased it for her...  It was one of the highlights of the weekend...  I love seeing love last! 

Here are a few other pieces...

Stay tuned...  Working on lots more!