Craftastic

I've been crafting a lot more lately and it's been so good for me. I wouldn't say I've been anymore anxious lately but I guess I've been stumped at this whole explosion of pregnancy announcements and births.

There seriously is something in the air or water and for some crazy reason...it's being kept from only certain people!

It's crrrraaaazy!!

So to keep calm...i craft on! ;)

Here's a little craft I did to hang in the bathroom-I got the quote from (wait for it, wait for it) pinterest:

I also used some left over stickers with paint samples and made little reminders to go on the fridge...just a little pick me up:



Also, I have this sweet friend that just engaged and since I knew we were meeting for dinner tonight, I decided to make her a little engagement gift:



I put it in a pretty box from the dollar section and ta-da, a quick and easy engagement gift for under $3:



Have any of y'all been up to crafting lately? Any fun projects?

And just because I had to show y'all just how ridiculous I am, the other night my dh and I were lounging and when I passes by the mirror, I laughed:



Apparently, I really wanted to match my phone!! Eek!! That was a lot of color!!! Good thing I wasn't out in public, I'm sure I would have embarrassed myself!!

"A day without laughter is a day wasted. [Charlie Chaplin]

Wowzer.

It appears that there are quite a bit of pregnancy announcements floating around FB lately.

Like a crazy amount.
Multiple ones a day.
What's in the water and where can I get some?

So far I've been strong enough and I really hope I can hold it together...if not though, I may just have to take a little break.

And apparently I may need to take a break from my people app also:

Anyone else notice the crazy amounts of announcements lately or is it just me?

[Can'twaittohearmoreaboutthisadoptionandstartworkingwithdoctorHilgers.]


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Falling is scary part 2

Here's part one incase you've never read it.

I was on a sort of women's retreat last night and oddly enough one of our talks was going to be held in a tree.

I was instantly okay with climbing into this big, old, wobbly tree with about 10 other women I've never met before.

I think to myself, "Go me for being up to something that is weird and makes me a little uncomfortable."

Our small group leader stood at the bottom of the massive tree, leading discussions and also keeping tabs on us incase a branch looked like it would give way.

Thankfully, she could see every branch from where she stood because a few moments after getting adjusted in the tree, we all heard a slow, snapping sound.

She yelled up, "you at the right, move over to that large branch!"

Which is exactly what the girl did...just moments before the old branch snapped.

It was odd to me that we were SO high up on this rickety, old tree, with the weather getting sorta dark and dreary and on top of all of it, the wind blowing like crazy!

But, I trusted that it would be fine because we had our group leader calling out when something looked like it might break or become dangerous.

Throughout the discussion, which I have no recollection of, my anxiety and fear grew stronger and deeper.

My chest began to feel like something heavy was pressing on it and there was a constant lump in my throat.

I began to question why we were doing this.

I thought to myself,"why am I up in this tree, it's dangerous and something bad could happen!!"

Just then I heard a loud SNAP!

And this time it wasn't from another branch away from me nor was our group leader yelling for someone to move.

No, she was busily going on about the discussion and I was on my own.

Panic and fear set in as I realized that I was a few stories high in the rickety tree and that there was not a single steady branch within reach.

Finally I hear an even bigger snap.

My breath is taken away and tears fill my eyes and I, in slow motion, begin to fall...

...through sharp branches, snapping all around me and wind blowing through my hair.

A cold shiver runs down my spine as I beg God to save me, to help me.

I begin to fear that I'm all alone and that He can't save me because I'm already falling, closer and closer to the ground.

Fear.
Panic.
Sadness.
Anxiety.

I beg God to help me.
Please God, I need you.

I begin to pray, "Lord I trust that you brought me here and you will protect me. I have faith."

Just then, a sense of peace entered over me, and my fall began to slow down and all the broken branches and twigs around me started to disperse.

And whereas I just knew I was going to be crushed on the ground, moments earlier, I knew now that I was going to be okay.

I land ever so softly and gracefully, although with tears still filling my eyes.

Girls come rushing down from the tree and our group leader asks if I'm okay.

All I can muster out is, "Yes. I had faith He would take care of me."

And that was my dream last night.

A dream that felt so real and lifelike.

A dream that, although it was just a dream, had me waking up feeling as though it had really just happened.

It's so crazy because, compared to my last falling dream (over a year and a half ago, thank goodness I don't have then that often, they feel so real) this time, the scare of the fall didn't wake me.

I know the bottom line with this dream is that I have to continue to have faith.

"If He brings me to it, He will bring me through it."

Dear God,
I offer up all my fertility to you. I offer up our upcoming visits to Omaha and our work with Doctor Hilgers. I offer up this adoption to you. I trust You. I have faith in You.

St. Gerard, St. Therese, St. Gianna, Blessed John Paul, St. Anthony, pray for us.

Who we've told

Hearing about this potential adoption is obviously very big news for us and I wanted to shout it out loud, asking for prayers, but instead I knew that wouldn't be the smartest move...

So, we've told my Gm, two brothers and SILs and of course his parents know because my MIL is the one who told us!

Oh yeah, and I told the world wide web.

But other than that, that's about it.

We definitely appreciate and need all the prayers we can get, but since it's still so new and there's still so much we don't know, well...I like the idea that if it doesn't work out then there's no back peddling around to tell people it didn't work out.

That would be emotionally draining!

And yes, my emotions are already invested.

There is no way I cannot not be emotionally invested.

I mean, I get emotional about the little things and well, this is sorta big...

Big in that your life is forever changed and the dream and desire and yearning you've been searching and praying for for all these years could potentially happen in a few short months.

So yes, maybe it's dumb for me to get so emotionally invested and yes, I may just get my heart broken again, BUT I'm a woman of faith and a firm believer that "God doesn't give more than we can handle."

I will say though, this time around (what the heck, how can I say this time around again in only a few short months) I'm not abusing my google search engine!!

Last time I searched anything and everything about adoption.

This time I haven't done it once.

I think that may be the one thing I'm doing to "protect" my heart, in a sense.

Oh geez, I don't even know where I'm going with all this...it's obviously on my mind.

All day.
And night.
All.the.time.

I'm praying for calmed nerves and a complete submission of this to our Lord.

(photo courtesy of pinterest)

Prayers

My mind cannot stop thinking about that phone call from yesterday.

My mind is racing with the thought that, "I could be a mom and I didn't even know it."

To say I woke up this morning full of joyful anticipation is an understatement.

I do not know what will happen but what I do know is that I trust God and all that he puts in our lives.

Thank y'all for the sweet comments and prayers yesterday...I promise I'll keep everyone updated!

And because I know just how powerful yall's prayers are, I'm asking for them again...this time for my sexy, police officer husband! ;)

He has a big interview tonight (9:30 cst) and is a bit nervous. I know he's going to be amazing!! It's a position with a specialty unit (gang) and since he's ready for something aside from just patrol, this would be wonderful for him.

Now, I could be completely selfish and ask that y'all pray that he doesn't do well because...him being around/working with gangs/members isn't the most comforting feeling ever. However, I know just how badly he wants this and how much he deserves this and well, his happiness will always trump my nerves!!

Thanks in advance!!!

“For me prayer is an upward leap of the heart, an untroubled glance toward heaven, a cry of gratitude and love which I utter from the depths of sorrow as well as from the heights of joy.” (Saint Thérèse of Lisieux)



- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Potential adoption.

We've been here before.

That moment ended in heart ache.

I still think about that precious baby and know that they are in heaven, living joyfully and without pain or suffering.

But it doesn't mean that my heart doesn't ache thinking about how our lives could have been forever changed had she chosen to adopt out the precious one she was carrying.

Although, it wasn't that long ago that this all occurred, it seems like moons and moons ago, and yet, here we are again, only a few short months later...

My MIL called me this morning and said that she wanted us to start asking St. Anthony (she recently gave us a statue and said she wanted us to start asking him for prayers) to intercede for us about a potential adoption.

My heart started racing and goosebumps ran up and down my body.

I was shaking as I heard her describe the situation:
-The young girl, S, has just turned 14 and also just informed her mother and step grandmother (the one who contacted my MIL) that she is 5 months along.
-She is not abortion minded at all-but please pray that she continues to think like this.
-Every family member is encouraging adoption, where as her friends are telling her it would be fun to be a mom (oh, you shows that glamorize teen pregnancy!!).
-The boyfriend is young also, and sometimes in the picture, sometimes not.
-They will all meet with my MIL soon to discuss options.

I'm seriously at a loss for words. I'm obviously very excited and hopeful and grateful that God has lead this family to our family.

I am most thankful that she is not abortion minded.

I have no idea how this will turn out, but I trust that God's hands are at are work in all the details and I know that however it turns out, I trust Him.

...

A moment.

That's all it takes for someone's life to be forever changed.

That phone call this morning has the potential to forever change our lives.

I trust you Lord.

Please pray for my husband and I as we pray for S, her baby and family.

May God's will be done.


(Picture courtesy of Pinterest)

How I handled things...

The party was fun.

Of course spending time with my family was wonderful and especially seeing that sweet nephew of ours didn't hurt.

The baby talk wasn't bad at all.

Yes, there were lots of little ones and lots of "oh mine does that too" and some "how old is yours?"

But all in all I was [emotionally] able to handle it.

Even the new baby to be talk was at a minimum, surprisingly.

Thank the Lord.

For some reason my emotions aren't bad at all but I've been cramping a little worst than normal. I guess, if I had to choose, I would choose the cramping over the overly emotional mess I normally am.

Sure, the part where all the cute moms were on the floor with their babies, talking about mommy hood and me sitting back, smiling and laughing and attempting to be included in the conversation, wasn't the most fun of all.

But I did it.

And I smiled.

And I counted my blessings and offered up any uncomfortable moment for all those that are struggling.

"Life isn't about surviving the storm but learning to dance in the rain."