Blessings

I hope everyone is having a great week - mine has been...interesting.  I've decided this is the new normal for me!  As I mentioned last week, there's a lot of changes in my life right now - some wanted, and some not.  This song, Blessings, has been on my mind so much lately.  We are so quick to pray, and then sit back and wonder why God isn't working in our lives - when all the while He's heard each prayer and is answering them...it may just be that the trials we are going through are His mercies in disguise.

I'm still reminding myself along this crooked path in my journey - God is good!  

Please take a minute to listen to this song, and be BLESSED!

We pray for blessings, we pray for peace
Comfort for family, protection while we sleep
We pray for healing, for prosperity
We pray for Your mighty hand to ease our suffering

All the while You hear each spoken need
Yet love is way too much to give us lesser things

'Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears?
What if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You're near?

What if trials of this life
Are Your mercies in disguise?

We pray for wisdom, Your voice to hear
We cry in anger when we cannot feel You near
We doubt Your goodness, we doubt Your love
As if every promise from Your Word is not enough

And all the while You hear each desperate plea
And long that we'd have faith to believe

'Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears?
And what if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You're near?

And what if trials of this life
Are Your mercies in disguise?

When friends betray us, when darkness seems to win
We know that pain reminds this heart
That this is not, this is not our home
It's not our home

'Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears?
And what if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You're near?

What if my greatest disappointments
Or the aching of this life
Is the revealing of a greater thirst
This world can't satisfy?

And what if trials of this life
The rain, the storms, the hardest nights
Are Your mercies in disguise?

A Time For Change...

Blog friends, it has been quite a month!  Since I have turned 30 (which has only been 5 weeks) the following has happened in my life...

*  I have fallen 3 TIMES (does turning 30 change your equilibrium??!!)  No major injuries besides scrapes, bruises, and a little embarrassment

*  I had a slight mishap with a razor while shaving and - sorry to those with a weak stomach, but this one requires a visual aid to grasp the damage (does turning 30 affect your motor skills??!!)  

*  I have planned, decorated, and hosted a retirement reception for my mama (Pictures coming!!)

*  I have planned, decorated, and attended a Pajama Party for one of my friend's daughter's 5th birthday (Pictures coming!!)

*  I have met with 2 bride's about 2012 Spring weddings

*  I have planned and helped Brad with not 1, but 2 Children and Youth Ministry outings

*  I have transferred to a different teaching position...yes, an even newer one than the one I mentioned less than 2 months ago...change is always stressful (particularly in the middle of the year), but the good news is it is at a school with no more travel time than the 1st and I have friends there that I get to work with everyday :)  

*  I changed my Master's program...

*  and, a whole HOST of other events that I won't bore you with

Yes, people - 5 weeks of injuries, planning, hosting, stressing, and at-the-point-of-a-nervous-breakdown-moments.  I have dreaded 30, but never did I imagine what the beginning of a new decade would have in store for me!!  

Yet, this too shall pass...might as well start out rock solid CRAZY, so hopefully it will end with a FABULOUS finish! :) 

I decided I might as well embrace this new level of craziness in my life and take charge of CHANGE - I have ventured from my always a French pedicure to my mama's signature OPI "Cajun Shrimp"...this is the first time in YEARS to have anything but a Frenchy on my piggies :)  

Life altering, no...but, it's something I can control and right now I need something I feel I chose :)  It's the small things, people!!

And, I keep reminding myself...

God is good.
God is good!
God is GOOD!!

Thank you, Jesus for something that NEVER changes and I can ALWAYS count on!

Surprise!!

Well, y'all...I turned 30 last Monday.  It was super rainy and dreary all day, thanks to hurricane Irene - what appropriate weather for a day I have not exactly looked forward to!!  In reality, I know it's just a number, and there are soooo many wonderful things going on in my life right now, but it's gonna take me a while to "embrace" being a 30-something *sigh*...

Thankfully, I have A.M.A.Z.I.N.G. friends and family that love me and thought my 30th birthday was worth celebrating in a BIG way...so, they threw a spectacular SURPRISE party for me a few days before the BIG day!!!  

Our 4 Favorites were beyond excited to meet me at the car to bring me in to the party :)

 I was COMPLETELY overwhelmed at the room FULL of people there to celebrate with me!!  It's always good to be reminded of all the wonderful people in your life that love you!

You know the saying "always the bridesmaid, never the bride"?  Well, I'm always the host, never the guest of honor when it comes to parties!  It was fun to switch roles for the night! ;) 

 My mom did all the food, of course, and had some of my very favorites...and, my sweet friends Kim and Gina did all the flowers :)

 And, Bradley...well, his job was to get me to the party - which was not a very easy task...

 Love these gals!!

 And, these sweet girls too!!  The read a sweet poem they had written for me :)

I was accused of knowing about the party, because my clothes matched the color scheme, right down to the invitations!!  HA!

 It was a wonderful night, and we all had a great time!  Thank you so much to everyone that played a part in helping to celebrate!!!!  I will definitely not forget this birthday!

The Last Day...

...of being in my twenties.  


I have struggled with turning 30 since the day I turned 29.  When you're 30, you're REALLY an adult - and, I don't know that I'm all that ready to be a REAL adult.  I've kind of enjoyed being in my twenties, and trying to figure out who and what I want to be when I grow up.

As you know, I have a 30 by 30 list that I started almost a year and a half ago, and well, it's ummmm, not complete...and, that drives me crazy.  I am a goal driven, checking things off the list kind-a girl and when there's things left un-checked on the list, I don't get the satisfying feeling of accomplishment.  *Sigh*

And, to be just really honest, I don't like the idea of growing old.  There I said it.  I don't want wrinkles, and gray hair (which I have ALOT of already that's hidden thanks to my wonderful "hair-apist"!), and to be looked at as being "old".  I've always been the youngest - I was the youngest child in my family, the youngest in my class at school, the youngest at every place I've ever worked, etc.  BOO to getting older!!

BUT, as my daddy has reminded me - getting older is better than the alternative!...

So, I've tried to enjoy my last day as a twenty-something, although I've said "this will be my last time to do ____________ in my twenties!"  Today has been a good day, doing things that I love:

1.  Spending the morning worshipping Jesus with my church family!
2.  Having lunch with some of my all-time favorite people in the world - my former youth pastor and his wife.  Although we stay in touch through phone calls and Facebook, we only get to see each other once every couple of years, and I savor every moment.  They played a TREMENDOUS role in my life as a high school and college student, and they are treasures to me.  What a sweet blessing to spend time with them my last day in my twenties!!!
3.  Having this sweet girl to love on me - no matter how old I am!! ;)

4.  Spending the afternoon with Brad and my parents laughing and talking and eating yummy food!!
5.  Being at my all time favorite place in all the world - the lake!!!
6.  These shoes - I mean really, who can be unhappy when wearing these cute little zebra print numbers??!!

Twenties, you have been some more of a roller-coaster decade for me!  In the past 10 years, I have gotten engaged, married, graduated from college, became an aunt (4 times over!), started my Master's, started my career, changed jobs (5 times...), struggled with the pain of lost pregnancies and infertility, learned a lot about who I am and who God is, learned to love Brad more every day, blessed with friendships and dear sisters in Christ, got our first "baby" - Miss Ellie Jane!, and so much more.  

I'm closing the door of 10 years that have molded me and shaped me into who I am today...

30, here I come - you better watch out!!!!

A SUPER Birthday!

"Calling all super heroes:

throw on your cape fast as a flash!

Be ready to make a big splash!

Sam needs your help to celebrate

his 5th Birthday bash!"

Our only "boy" of the 4 Favorites - sweet Sam - turned 5!!!  When Valerie asked him what kind of party he wanted, he said a swimming super hero party...so, that's what we did!!  We can make just about any kind of theme work! :)  Valerie and the Cricut became the best of friends during the planning of this party - we even made the adorable invitations using the Cricut!  With me in the middle of getting ready for students in my new classroom, Valerie had to do a lot of the prep work on her own and then I helped her set up.  It turned out so cute!  

She made this city scene out of a black plastic tablecloth and yellow electrical tape for windows.  The little Super Hero boy and girl (that we even personalized for the party with their snorkels and goggles!!) were cut from the Cricut as well as the little pop word bubbles that had words like BAM!, SPLASH!, POP!, and CANNON BALL! on them.  

We even used the pop word bubbles to name the food super hero names like Batman Burgers, Super Dogs, Hero Beans, POW! Potatoes, and Super Power Chips! And, we used some of Sam's Super Hero dress up clothes - masks, capes, and costumes to dress the table...

Valerie made each child a felt mask and plastic cape to wear at the party - and, yes, even the girls LOVED the theme!!!  

 

Valerie even made tiny little masks for the youngest of guests - look at this little Super Hero cutie pie!!

And, of course a Super Hero party wouldn't be complete without a "villian" coming to try to break up the party...thankfully, all of these Super Heros were able to fight him off with their super powers!!

 

Valerie had each guest a beach towel to take home as a thank you gift for coming to the party - since it was the end of the season, she got them on sale!!  Great gift idea!

 Sam had a SUPER party - it was so cute, and the kids had a great time!!!

 Happy 5th Birthday, Sammy!!!  We love you!

Tangled Up In Birthday FUN!

This past weekend, Carolyne celebrated her 7th birthday with a Rapunzel themed slumber party!  She chose this theme months ago when she fell in love with the Disney movie "Tangled", and Valerie and I had lots of fun with the theme for the party :)  We braided what seemed like 100s of feet of yellow yarn for hair that we used all around the house for decoration!  I made this little sign to greet the excited girls at the front door as they arrived to the party.

We decided to focus on decorating the dining room since that would be where the girls would eat and do crafts.  I painted a tower, and we added lots and lots of moss and artificial flowers from the dollar store, and of course Rapunzel's hair!!

We wanted the party to be super girly, so we used pink and purple as the main color scheme, with touches of yellow (with the hair!!).  We covered the table in layers of purple and pink satin and tulle, and scattered flowers down the middle.  We also tied tulle bows around the chairs, and put little flower bouquets in the middle of the bows - so adorable!

For the food table, Valerie made the cute "Happy Birthday" banner with the purple pennants and yes, more "hair"! 

 Valerie had each of the girls a little crown to wear - they all look like little princesses :)

 

The girls made several crafts during the party, and one were these super cute chameleon party blowers (if you've seen the movie, you'll remember the little chameleon that was Rapunzel's friend)

 And, they painted canvases, and they all turned out absolutely ADORABLE!!  We had several templates to let them choose from, then we let them paint and decorate their canvas however they wanted...they are all little artists!!

We ended the night watching the movie, Tangled, of course!!

 The party turned out just perfect, and the girls had a fabulous time!  This age is so fun, and Carolyne was sooo excited about her Rapunzel party :)

Happy 7th Birthday, Carolyne!!!  I love you! 

Here I Am

Hey y'all - hope everyone has had a good weekend!  We have been CRAZY BUSY working in my classroom...I haven't shared with y'all, but I took a new teaching position in a different school system! *cheers*  It has without a doubt been one of the scariest, biggest leaps of faith I have ever taken but we know and trust the Lord opened this door for me.  I left every bit of my comfort zone - tenure, a job I have loved for 6 years, and some of my dearest friends that I also was blessed to work with - and went to a job that I know very little about and know very few people...BUT, it's a job that I'm passionate and excited about doing and have UNBELIEVABLE peace that surpasses all understanding!  Thank you, Jesus for this new chapter in my life and for new purpose!

This song has been on my heart so much this week, because of its relavence to my life right now...I wanted to share in hopes that it would speak to you as well. Enjoy!  :)



Sometimes your calling, comes in dreams
Sometimes it comes in the Spirit's breeze,
You reach for the deepest hope in me,
And call out for the things of eternity.

But I'm a man, of dust and stains,
You move in me, so I can say,

Here I am, Lord send me,
All of my life, I make an offering,
Here I am, Lord send me,
Somehow my story, Is part of your plan,
Here I am

When setbacks and failures, and upset plans,
Test my faith and leave me with empty hands,
Are you not the closest when it's hardest to stand?
I know that you will finish what you began.

These broken parts you redeem,
Become the song, that I can sing

Here I am, Lord send me,
All of my life, I make an offering,
Here I am, Lord send me,
Somehow my story, Is part of your plan,
Here I am

Overwhelmed by the thought of my weakness,
And the fear that I'll fail You in the end,
In this mess, I'm just one of the pieces,
I can't put this together but You can.

Here I am, Lord send me,
All of my life, I make an offering,
Here I am, Lord send me,
Somehow my story, Is part of your plan,
Here I am

My Favorite Place...

...is without a doubt to be at the lake.  Sleeping in late, playing in the water, riding the boat, grilling out...ahhhh, it doesn't get much better than that for me!!  Don't get me wrong, I L.O.V.E. the BEACH but the lake and mountains are just "in my bones".  Sitting on the dock looking out across the water is where my heart is most content.  This summer, Brad and I have taken FULL advantage of every possible free minute to be at the lake, going for weeks at a time (really, we have been there as much as we've been home!)  

 

And, Miss Ellie Jane is a "lake dog" - she knows when we pull up at the gate where we are, and immediately starts scratching at the window ready to get out :)  That's my girl!!

A couple of weeks ago we spent the week with Brad's family, and had a great time!  Our sweet friend, Vickie came down and took some family pics for us - thank you Mrs. Vickie!!

I'm so thankful for our families, and that their not just our family but our friends - we laugh and have the best time just hanging out!

 And, 2 of our 4 Favorites with our 2 MOST favorite fur babies - Nikki and Ellie!

It has been a very blessed summer, and one that I really hate to see come to an end!!  Teacher work days started today in our schools, and summer is official over for me :-/  But, I have lots of sweet memories of summer 2011 and I can't wait for next year!!

Sweet Sixteen

Hey y'all!!  I feel like all I have done the past several weeks is tell y'all about flowers and parties...and, well...that's been a lot of what my time has consisted of!!  This past weekend, I got to plan and decorate for a super duper fun party - a SWEET 16 SURPRISE party for my sweet Meg that is in our youth group at church!!  Her mom gave me the date and the color scheme, and left the decorating up to me.  Everything was in bubblegum pink, black, and white, with lots of zebra and polka dot prints...and what better way to welcome everyone to the party than with one of my infamous tulle rag wreaths :)

I found black and white polka dot and zebra pattern balloons - SO CUTE!! 

We wanted the party to be super girly, and no other flower is more FUN and girly than gerber daisies - in shades of pink and white of course!  It's hard to tell, but the flowers were arranged in moss covered purse containers...love these - I think they would be adorable for bridesmaids to carry for a real casual wedding (my wheels are already turning...)

We set up a table for the guest of honor and her girl friends to sit at, and then everyone else sat around the pool and porch.

We set up the food tables on the porch, and had lots and lots of these big pink Chinese lanterns hanging everywhere - these are so eye catching and super cheap but make a statement.  I've done several black and pink themed parties, so I already had the polka dot cloths and lots of fun serving pieces that we were able to use...

And, of course the best way to celebrate a SWEET 16 birthday is to have a SWEETS table!  I made the little sign and black and white jelly bean arrangements with pink rock candy suckers instead of using flowers on this table, and we had Meg's favorite candy, cookies, and of course her cake...

And, YES she was very SURPRISED!! :)  Happy birthday, Meghan...hope you had a very happy SWEET 16!! :)

80 Years Young

A couple of weeks ago, I did some floral designs for a very special lady's 80th SURPRISE birthday party.  Mrs. Dot Brasher is known and loved by most people in our community - she was a teacher for many, many years and who most say was the best teacher they ever had.  I was honored to be a part of this very special day to celebrate this milestone birthday!! 

The surprise party was a Garden Party, and I chose flowers that had an heirloom look to them - I wanted them to look like flowers my grandmother used to grow along the edge of her vegetable garden.  I used zinnias in vibrant shades of pinks, orange, and yellow as well as hydrangeas and snapdragons...

And, I did fresh cut in water so they looked like they came straight out of the garden. 

I used watering cans and old Ball jars for containers.

 

Her family had worked so hard to make it a special day, and it turned out to be a perfect garden party for a perfectly SURPRISED honoree!! 

Happy 80th Birthday, Mrs. Brasher!