Show Us Your Life - Our Adoption Story

It's (almost) Friday which means it's Show Us Your Life day over at Kelly's Korner. 

I participate from time to time, but I definitely had to today since it's about adoption and I am VERY passionate about adoption and sharing our story with anyone who will listen!!!  Adoption is a beautiful and wonderful thing but it's definitely not an easy journey.  For us, we were led to adoption because of years of infertility.  Out of deep pain, God was able to bring beauty and redemption to us by providing our first child, Samuel...who we adopted from Ukraine at the end of 2005.  He is the child for whom my heart longed.  He is our precious miracle gift from God who He sovereignly placed in our family.  The earthly adoption of Samuel has taught us so much about our spiritual adoptions through Jesus Christ.

I realize that adoption is not for everyone, but I do encourage every believer in Christ to consider it.  The Bible is very clear that we are to take care of the orphans and widows and the least of these.  There are so many children around the world who need homes.  Adoption is not cheap and it's not easy, but when God calls...He will provide.  He most certainly did for us and I hope you will take the time to read about our miracle boy (if you haven't already)...

The story of Samuel is written out in 6 parts.  All you have to do is look over to my right sidebar and click on Samuel's Story to read about our amazing journey.  

Just for a sneak peak though...

Here is Samuel in November of 2005 (age 3) when we first met him in Ukraine...

And here he is NOW (age 8)...

I'd love to know if you stopped by and read our story!  It's always fun to meet new visitors:)!

A Valentine Freebie!

Well, since January is almost gone, I figured it was time for another Valentines freebie for all you wonderful blog readers and lurkers:)!!! I did this last year, and it was a huge hit.  I can't believe we are nearly to February!

So before you head out to Target or Wal mart and buy generic store bought valentines, finish reading this post so you can download one of my valentines!

These first 2 are from last year.  I still love both of them so much!

And here are 2 news ones for 2011.  Pretty cute if I do say so myself!

So, all you have to do to claim your free valentine is click on one of the below links that will take you to a pdf file.  Then you can print them out yourself or take them to Kinkos...I don't care!  I print my own off on white cardstock and they come out fabulous.  Then just cut them out and stick them to a valentine treat like suckers or playdough or tie them with a ribbon on a treat bag

Click HERE to see what I did with my cards last year. 

The first 2 links are from last year and they come 4 valentines to a page.  The second 2 links are this years valentines and I put 9 to page this time so they will be a bit smaller.

The only thing I ask is that you leave me a comment and let me know if you download and which one you download!!!  Don't be shy...I really want to know who is going to use them! Also, you can blog about it so that your friends and readers can also come get one!  

OWL

BIRD 

GIRL BIRD

TRUCK

Counting My Gifts

The book is ordered and has shipped.   And I can't wait to read it.

picture from A Holy Experience

I'm going to join the book club here.

So naturally, I really want to join in on Multitude Mondays at A Holy Experience. God is using this blog through the poetic words of it's author to render in my heart a state of thankfulness.  An attitude that looks for the blessings in the midst of my sometimes chaotic, wild, messy, and mundane life as a stay at home mom.  So, today is my first post to count my blessings. 

I'm reading a book I've already read once before...but this time it's different because I'm helping lead a bible study at my church on it.  I've risen early before the kids, as dawn just begins to break, to read, pray, and study.  The book is Calm My Anxious Heart and this week we are learning (I'm facilitating) how to be content in our circumstances.

A familiar verse...Philippans 4:6 says...

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, WITH THANKSGIVING, present your requests to God, and the PEACE of God...will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 

God is reminding me that I can have His gift of peace, if I choose to be thankful in the midst of my circumstances...whether they be good or bad and whether they ever change or not.  

I read in a commentary this morning that peace is a God given reward resulting from joyful reflection on His bounties.  And that's exactly what Mondays over at A Holy Experience are for and here that's what they will be for too (if I can remember:)).    I jot them down in my journal as I think of them.  It helps my heart and my mind stay focused on Him and I really thing the Spirit is changing me.  Giving me peace.  Giving me a better attitude when I am dependent on Him and looking for the blessings. 

Counting my blessings...

1. friends who know me and love God

2. a capable husband who I can 100% trust when I leave him with kids

3.  a home I love to take care of

4. 3 sets of eyes watching at the windows

5. welcome home signs...a reminder of being loved and needed

6. irresistible dimples

7. kissable cheeks

8.  an eight year old boy's tender heart

9. a fun new way to tie my scarves (thanks Julia)

10.  that the word of God is living and active

11. fellowship with other women

12. watching a frustrated little boy experience victory in his homework by not giving up. 

13. carpool so I don't have to wake the girls up everyday to get Samuel from school
14. a daughters words of love whispered in my ear

 

A Clean Pantry!

I got to work on my pantry this past weekend!  So far, I've done the office and the pantry in my journey of organization/simplicity.  I basically have 1-2 areas/rooms of the house I am trying to do each week.  It's going to take awhile, but this is the only way I know how to do it when I have so many other responsibilities.  Anyway, I am so excited about my cleaned out pantry!  I have actually half way cleaned and organized it once before, but it just didn't stay that way because I really didn't do a good job.  This time, I am determined to keep it nice and clean and organized.  Even the kids were excited about it:).  I have to say, that I am VERY blessed to have a big pantry.  I love all the room I have in it, which is why it really needed a system.  For the past 2 years, it really had just become a place we stuffed things into.  Anyway, moving on to pics...

BEFORE

DURING

I literally took EVERYTHING out and had it on my counters, table, floors, etc.  I cleaned every shelf and the floor in there really good! 

AFTER!

I put new contact paper/shelf paper on the bottom shelf of the panty.  The existing stuff was so dated and dirty!  It looks much better!

I pulled the paper off the left side shelves (pic below) and if I had more time and patience, I would have painted them a fresh coat of paint...but since I had neither of those on Saturday, I just left it the way it is now (which is a bit stick and peeling...but hey it's WAY better than before)!  The right side shelves (pic above) I just left as is.  I got even more impatient and didn't feel like peeling the paper off.  I might do it another day soon though.

I think the key for me, was getting a lot of the junk and food that was old and should have been thrown away awhile ago.  Also, key for me...is using lots of baskets so everything has it's place.  This also helps Samuel know where he can go in the pantry for a snack since he has a shelf basically devoted to him and his gluten free self:)! 

Yay for organization!!!

Kid Stuff

I realized that I haven't posted hardly any kid pics since Christmas!  So, here are some things the kids have been up too lately...

Ellie Kate has a new obsession with umbrellas.  The girls love to get this one out and sit under it.  Who needs toys really?

Friday afternoons are great because we don't have to do homework.  However, with the cold weather, it's sometimes hard to keep the children occupied and to prevent lots of meltdowns in the afternoon before daddy comes home.   I decided to do some messy sensory play with them yesterday using flour and rice in jelly roll pans.  They LOVED it.  We certainly had a big mess, but that was okay.  Samuel was a bit concerned about the mess and couldn't quite get his mind around me (his type A/sometimes OCD momma) letting them get the kitchen table and floor and chairs and clothes so dirty. Ha!  It was so worth the mess and a good memory!!!

Once a sorter, always a sorter! Samuel has always loved to sort things so of course he found a way with this activity!   He also thoroughly enjoyed helping me clean up (maybe more than the playing)! 

Samuel is playing Upward Basketball right now and Jeff is helping coach the team.  This is Samuel's first time to play basketball on a team.  He has a lot to learn, but he's doing pretty good!  He has made 3 baskets in his last 2 games.  It was so fun to watch him play! I think he did a lot better this week in his second game.  The girls enjoyed watching and Ellie Kate really wants to be an Upward Cheerleader when she gets bigger:).

My Get-Away!

This past weekend, I had the privilege to get away with some of my best friends from college! They still remain some of my closest friends a decade later.  We traveled to and met up in Atlanta (and made it through the icy roads) and actually stayed at my parents house (they have a fabulous finished off basement with full living room, kitchen, and bedrooms).

Saturday morning, there was still quite a bit of snow on the ground! 

Susie, Sarah, me, and Ashlei

The main reason we all wanted to get together was because Ashlei was in America on furlough.  She and her family are missionaries in East Asia.  I got to see her when we visited last March, but the other girls had not seen her in over 2 years.  We had such a sweet time together!

The whole group warming up by the fire after our day out (eating, seeing Country Strong, shopping, and eating some more)

Julia, me, Ashlei, Susie, and Sarah

Julia made Pioneer Woman cinnamon rolls! I was so excited because I have never had them before.  They were as delicious as I expected them to be!!



We all got fun cheap earrings at Forever 21.  It was fun to get some new jewelry for so cheap!  Every single one of us was sticking to our budget and using our Dave Ramsey cash envelopes so we kept each other accountable:)!  So, you can imagine that it was very exciting to find earrings for $1.50! 

I love these girls so much and am just so incredibly grateful for God providing such amazing friends for me way back in 1997 (through 2001).   I am so thankful that we can always just pick back up where we left off.  We have history.  We know each other and we are not afraid to be vulnerable.  I love that and appreciate that.  I know it's because of Christ in us that we are able to be that way.  I love that these are my sisters in Christ who pray for me and struggle alongside of me to be the wives and mothers He has called us to be.  

Now you will have to indulge me because I have to throw in some vintage pics of us...

 I am so very glad that long shirts and lower waisted jeans are in style now:) because I'm pretty sure I couldn't pull this look off anymore! Ha!

shower picture?  why not?  we did stupid stuff like this all the time!  

Bid day 1997...when I pledged Alpha Chi.  I'm sure at this moment, I barely knew Susie who was a sophomore....I'm sure I never dreamed she would become such a dear friend for so many years! Let's  talk about how cute Susie is and how she has barely changed a bit and then compare it to me...actually let's not talk about that! Ha!

Those lamps in my bedroom I showed you yesterday....I bought them with these girls!  They got some cute ones too!!! If you ever need a new lamp...TJ is the way to go!

Jeff did a great job at home with the kids (he did have some help from his parents too)! What a joy it was to come home to my children and welcome home signs in the garage for me to see as I drove up...

Little eyes and dimpled grins peered through that window.  The squeals and hugs and kisses were good for my soul.  I love being away....but I love coming home more!

Evolution of Our Master Bedroom

2008

we used this bedding and drapes for about 5 years in this house and our house in Georgia

2009-2010 

I really wanted to lighten the room up so I bought the green (CHEAP) bedding at Target and brought in some sheer curtains I already had in the linen closet.  It really brightened the room up for under $30 bucks which was great.  I knew this was just a temporary fix until I could do what I really wanted with the room though!

2011

It's finally more along the lines of what I have had in mind for the past year or so! I asked for all the bedding for Christmas and am so thankful to my generous family and inlaws for granting my request! The bedding is all from Pottery Barn and so awesome.   The wall color is Silver Mist by Benjamin Moore and it's gorgeous.  I stole the color from my sister in law.  It looks a little more blue in this picture than it does in real life.  I LOVE it!

The blanket on top of this quilt rack is from Peru (a gift from Jennifer and Buddy) and it's beautiful.  The quilt underneath was my great grandparents and it's really cool.  I love old stuff that has meaning.  The quilt rack was from my grandparents. 

We got this bookshelf several months ago after we had to move the other one that was in here into the playroom.  We LOVE books in our house.  I found this one on Craigslist for $40.  The biggest plus for Jeff was that he didn't have to put it together:)

I'm going to be real and show you that I need to dust:)

I LOVE my lamps!!!

Got these at TJ Maxx/Homegoods with some Christmas money. 

I got the drapes at Target (they are the Woolrich brand I think and they came in 96 inch length which I was super excited about because as soon as I can talk Jeff into helping me, we are raising those drapery rods to the ceiling!).

We used to have a trunk here but we had to move that to the playroom too so I brought in this stuff from around the house for a little sitting area.  I liked the bigger trunk here better, but for now this will work! 

I love my room now!  It's the only other room in the house that has color on the wall besides the kitchen.  Little by little, we are putting our own touches on this house (2 1/2 years later).  And it's always a work in progress.  I'm sure we will move more things in and out of this room because that's just how I roll!  It's an addiction really.  Next up...Abigail's big girl room.  We will need a moment of silence (as Darby said on her blog recently) because when this happens it means there will no longer be a crib up in our house.