GWA

...Girls Weekend Away

One of my besties has said yes to packing up her house and heading to Boston to share Jesus. I am so so excited for her family, but sad on the inside because we will not be able to share day to day life together anymore. As I have said over and over, so thankful for technology to keep us connected!

Each year, we are able to get away and enjoy each other's company for a weekend (don't we have the greatest husbands?!?!). This year, with LCR's move date an unknown, we headed out early to make sure we had one last hurrah before the big move.

Because it was early in the season and we only had 2 nights away, we opted to head to the mountains near Asheville. We got a great deal on a house, which was just about perfect.

On the way there, we stopped in the little town of Flat Rock. It has a yummy little restaurant next to a cute little shop.

That night we stayed up and watched a movie (Pitch Perfect) in the media room. It was awesome.

The next day we headed to downtown Asheville to shop, eat, and people watch. And we succeeded. We followed up downtown time with pedicures, dinner, and more shopping.

We even were able to write on a van. We made our mark in Asheville.

Unfortunately, I was a bit distracted all afternoon. Got word from home that JD had broken his toe. And boy did he break it! I will spare you the picture. With two kids at home alone, he was trying to clean the house (I told you he was great!) and got it caught on the door frame. We are all thankful that friends were there to help out with the kids and to take him to the ER (urgent care could not reset it). And even more thankful that he did not need surgery.

Even with all the drama at home, it was a great little getaway with a couple of my besties!

Rhonda's Birthday

Rhonda decided that this year she wanted to plan a girls night in for her birthday. She planned a craft for the group to do after we ate all the yummy treats. It was a fun night IN with friends.

The birthday girl

 Dani's cake

We made "nail art." First you pick your design of choice. We all did our favorite state.

Pick up your hammers. 

And outline your shape with nails. We put a heart over 'our' city too. 

It was a bit noisy, but a great way to get any tension out. 

 It was a dirty project too. (You can see my favorite state has not changed.)

Then you take some embroidery floss and start stringing. 

 Most of us didn't have time or enough floss to finish, so this is as "finished" as they got that night. (Mine is 4th from the left--I'm not the only one with love for the Lone Star State.)

Such a fun night crafting and chatting with friends. Love doing something a little different!

Surprise of a Lifetime

JD and I haven't had a date night in a while. We are thankful that we have friends who offer on occasion to keep the kids while we get away. When they offer, we say yes!

JD had a secret date planned. I knew it was an out of the ordinary plan, but he wouldn't tell me what we were doing. After a few random statements from him, I figured out that it was about a 2 hour drive from home for our dinner and activity. I thought it was crazy, but I had no idea just how crazy it would be.

Our friend arrived at the house and we headed to Charlotte to have dinner. We had a gift card to Maggiano's and ate there. We had great conversation over dinner, talking about this new baby boy but I also got to play 20 questions to see if I could figure out our after dinner plans. I had nothing.

After dinner we headed next door to pick up dessert at The Cheesecake Factory. If you haven't tried Adam's Peanut Butter Cup Fudge Ripple, you are missing out. So so yummy. JD likes Oreo Dream Extreme.

We were stuffed from dinner, so JD said we could eat it at the next location. We drove into downtown Charlotte. I would have never in a million years guessed where we would end up. The Ritz Carlton. Yes, the Ritz. I was stunned. The valet opened my door and I didn't know if I needed to get out because I was just confused. And I figured we were just going to eat our dessert in the lobby until I saw JD pull my suitcase out of the car. WHAT?!?!

Yes, I was surprised.

Let me say this. JD and I NEVER get away. Date night dinners in town, yes, but the last time we had an overnight without the kids (not work related) was before Lily was born. That was over 8 years ago.  So this baby-moon surprise was just what this momma needed!!

We got all checked into our room, I mean suite. It was huge and beautiful.

 This is one of TWO bathrooms we had.

Yes, there was a TV in the mirror (Can you tell this was a splurge?).

When you don't get out much and you go to a fancy hotel, you go exploring. Found the "aqua lounge."

We then had someone come by for "turn down service". Excuse me? "Not right now thank you." Quick Google search to help us out. Then we gave them a call a bit later to come back. We talked with the guy that came for about 15 minutes, asking him all kinds of questions about the company and about the guests (lots of professional athletes) that frequent the hotel. He was a nice kid and we were thankful for his enlightening us.

About 11 o'clock, there was a knock at the door. It's the same guy, but holding a plate of cupcakes to say thanks. Just one way the Ritz makes you feel like the most important guest there.

The next morning, we had breakfast delivered to the room. That hasn't happened since our honeymoon! It was delish. (Seems like there is a theme revolving around food. Ha.)

JD had scheduled a day of pampering for me. Woot! Prenatal massage, mani and pedi!! It was divine. They even came by with smoothie samples.

He was able to have some down time by the aqua lounge and get some writing done. Once all the pampering was finished we checked out. In the lobby they had a gelato station set up. Isn't it the cutest bit of gelato ever??

What a blessing this guy is! I loved being able to spend an uninterrupted 24 hours with him in a swanky hotel. Truly a once in a lifetime opportunity for us. One I will not forget.

But it just gets better!!

On the way home, this pregnant momma needed to stop. As we drove into the gas station, there was a homeless man with sign in hand standing at the entrance. I thought nothing of it but being on a church staff and encountering homeless people often, JD had other plans.

Once we got back into the car, JD said he felt like he needed to give the guy some money. Especially since we had just spent money on ourselves, it was the least we could do to give him some cash. But when he pulled his wallet out all the money was gone. Yikes. BUT we found it. Shew.

We drove out and stopped to give him the money. Let me tell you, this guy was such a sweet man. He had a mouth void of teeth and ragged clothing. He never once looked at how much we gave him. He was so gracious and kept thanking us over and over and said 'God bless you' over and over. JD mentioned that he was different than other people he'd helped in the past. Most of the time people are very much 'what's in it for me' in their speech and actions. This guy was far from that.

We then said good bye and left. JD suddenly looked at me and said, "I'm going to see what his name is and if it's Michael, I'm going to loose it." I had no idea what he meant. JD rolled down the window and yelled across the street, "What's your name?" And low and behold "Mike" came from his lips.

What in the world?

JD recently had a conversation with a friend who had helped several homeless men out. And each time their name had been Mike or Michael. He believed the Lord was testing him to see if he was willing to help these men during their time of need.

Hebrews 13:2 says "Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it."

Was the Lord testing us that day after we had just enjoyed an amazing experience? Maybe. I know one thing. We both feel that we were in the presence of an angel that day.

Cake Decorating Extravaganza

One day a few months ago I was in Hobby Lobby (big surprise) and they put a flyer in my bag about a cake decorating class. I have never thought about doing it before, but for some reason it caught my attention. I thought it would be a fun way to learn something new, especially since I have made my kids' birthday cakes for the past 5 years. A round layer cake can only be so exciting. And it's always more fun with a buddy!

Class 1 we learned how to make stars.

Class 2 I missed while on Staff Retreat. I did make it up, but it was just to learn the technique and my cake was ridiculous looking. It was a practice for Max's b'day cake. You will get the tweaked version in a few weeks.

Class 3 was learning to make flowers. Wilton classes teach lots of flowers. Especially in the second course. We decorated cupcakes with Mums, Pom Poms, and Rosettes.

Class 4 we learned the Ribbon Rose. We decorated a full cake. I made it for a baby shower for a sweet baby girl!

Craft and Sew

A several weeks back I had 5 hours all. to. myself. That hasn't happened since Max's arrival. It was motivation to get all those projects I wanted to do started. My list was super long, so I tried to narrow it down. Of course, 5 hours flies by and I didn't finish any of them, but was well on my way to being done by the end of the day.

Door Art
I found this pretty on Pinterest. I made it a bit smaller and opted for a more simple letter since we are not frilly at all. But now that it is finished, I am thinking it should be a bit fancier. What do you think?

Jewelry Organizer
My jewelry is all over the place. No organization and no protection from the little people in the house. I found several options on Pinterest (it's a crafters heaven). I took bits and pieces and put it together into what would work for my stuff. It's hanging behind my bathroom door. I love it!

Sleep Sack
Max has way outgrown his 0-9 month sleep sacks that we were still putting him in. Poor baby. I found a tutorial on...Pinterest... and went for it. I was a bit intimidated because I have never put in a zipper before, but it wasn't as hard as I thought it would be.

I've also been making a few things for friends.

Hooded Towels
A birthday present for a friend's grandkids. I added in the orange one for Max. He needs a big boy towel.

Newborn Gift Set

A friend is expecting her 4th baby this summer. I made a diaper/wipes holder, paci clip, burp cloth, and changing pad for her bundle. 

And these goodies for another newborn.

I have a couple other projects on my to-do list to hopefully get done this summer! Stay tuned!

Mother's Day

Mother's day started on Saturday morning with breakfast in bed. You know that Saturday's are my day to "sleep in" and JD makes waffles with the kiddos. They made red heart shaped waffles for me. Love my girl for having such a sweet heart and thinking about me!

Sunday we opted to not do the restaurant route for lunch. We have done it the past couple of years and the wait is killer. And since our friends all have a baby/toddler, we decided to grill out at our house and enjoy the deck! Yes, I had to do a little prep and cooking, but it was totally worth it to be able to relax with friends and let the kids play.

Wish we were able to celebrate with our moms. We love them dearly and are so thankful for the influence they have in our lives and our kids lives. Such a blessing to have Mom's who love the Lord!

So thankful for these little guys who gave me the name Momma/Mommy. Life would be dull without them!

6 Weeks Later

A couple of days after we found out we lost the baby, I finally turned my music back on. The Desert Song was the first song that came on:

All of my life

In every season

You are still God

I have a reason to sing

I have a reason to worship

It was exactly what I needed to hear. In my life, especially the past few years, I have come to realize how sovereign God really is. He knows all and knows what is best. My simple mind cannot comprehend it all, but I have to trust in Him and His plan. Is it easy? Not always. Especially when things such as a miscarriage change your life in an instant.

Many of you have told me that I have an amazing faith. Not sure I totally agree with that. It has been a struggle all my life to completely trust that He knows best. I have made some difficult moves when I didn't want to, I have lost three babies before I could ever hold them in my arms, I have had to wait for my precious second child years longer than expected. More often than not, I was kicking and screaming along the journey. With this trial, I have just given in and decided I cannot control my life. My plans are not His. He does know what is best and who am I to question His will.

Does that mean I am just happy-go-lucky with it all? No. I struggle every day with this plan. I would be 21 weeks, fully embracing the maternity clothes that are still hanging in my closet. We would know the gender of our child. We would be planning when the house renovations would be taking place. Names would be thrown out for us to discuss what we would call this precious baby.

Instead, I wonder if it was all a dream. Was I really carrying a child for 15 weeks? Some days it is evening before I remember. Other days it is constantly in my thoughts. When I am home without reminders, I am usually pretty okay with it all. But when I go out and see pregnant bellies, I envy them and their discomfort. I turn my eyes away quickly in hopes that I will forget what I see and the pain will go away. I hear people talking about the anticipation of their coming babies and my heart aches. I see newborn babies in stores and in pictures with siblings and I desire for that to be our family. I hear about new pregnancy announcements and long for the day I can say those words again.

Am I handling my grief in a healthy manner? I am not sure. Probably not. I don't mind talking about it, but I feel cold so often when I am asked about it. Most of the time I am "doing okay." I don't think I have words for how I really feel. More times that not I am sad and envious. Sad for what I do not have and envious that others do. I appreciate those of you who continue to let me know you are thinking about me and praying for me. I love it when a friend notices it is my first time in worship and wraps her arms around me so I am not alone. I love texts out of the blue that say "I love you friend." The Lord is using each of you to minister to me when I need it most. Thank you.

If you fall into the category of newly announcing a pregnancy and I do not congratulate you it is because it is still too hard. If you are pregnant and I do not ask how you are feeling, it is because it is still too hard. If you have a newborn baby and I do not love on your little one or ask you how they are, it is because even that is still too hard. I trust the Lord, but I am human and my heart is still hurting. The good news is I know it will heal eventually. It will just take time. And when I have been healed (and even before), the Lord will use me. I will be able to minister to others because he has planned it all. For now I just ask for your patience with me while I wait for His best. Then we will both have an even bigger reason to worship.

Sewing Projects

Sometime before Christmas, my first sewing machine, a hand me down Singer, quit working. I thought it needed oil, so JD fixed it up. But once he did that the feed dogs quit working. Guess that's what happens when you don't know how to repair a machine. Instead of paying nearly $100 to repair it, I opted to put that money toward a new machine. Merry Christmas to me! (And one day I will repair the Singer because Lily is already asking for me to teach her how. Yea!)

I went with a low end Viking. There is a shop/repair center here in town to help me figure it out and repair if needed. Plus they have some great fabrics there too. So far I have been pleased with my machine.

The first thing I whipped up was a couple of diaper and wipes cases. I needed something to hold these essentials when I don't want to carry the entire diaper bag. I pulled out some scraps and spent 1 hour cutting and sewing and done.

Next on the list was this birthday outfit for a sweet 1st birthday. Her momma does all my embroidery/appliqué and put a little something special on it when she got it back from me. I tweaked an a-line dress pattern I had to add the contrasting border. I thought it turned out cute. LOVE the gray/red she picked out.

I have lots of fabric lying around that I bought to make something for Lily and then never got around to it. Story of my life--great idea, buy supplies, something more important comes up. Since I have been in the mood to sew, I have tried to use what I have to satisfy the itch to create. First up, the peasant dress. They look super cute on teeny toddlers, but the bigger you get, the boxier looking they also look. I don't think it is as cute on a big girl. Therefore, I stepped out of the box and learned something new. Shirring. THIS tutorial taught me all I needed to know. I put three rows of shirring around the waist of her dress. It turned out just as I had envisioned.

Last year I made some ruffle pants and an appliqué top for Christmas gifts. I bought enough fabric to make pants for Lily too, but never did it. She is in demand for some Sunday wear (something other than jeans and leggings) and decided she needed a skirt instead. I gave her two design options and she picked THIS skirt. It was the easier of the two.

Matching applique top.

I still want to make THIS one for her too. Maybe with different colored layers. What do you think?
I have found a new favorite Etsy shop! This girl makes some great patterns. I bought several from her. I now have lots on my to-do list. Easter dress, here I come!