Thankful Thursday.

1.  The wisdom of Pioneers. I am still considering and relishing in all the wisdom we were handed at the conference last weekend. It was truly amazing to be there!

2.  Prudent Baby's Evil Buttercream Icing. Specifically on top of my orange cupcakes for potluck tomorrow!

3.  New ideas and motivation. Much needed help for organizing the chaos slight disarray of the sewing area of the multi-purpose room which is now going to be the music/office/crafts/guest room in preparation of Sweet Girl's homecoming =)

4.  Lifelong friendships

5.  A host of friends and family helping raise the funds needed for 5 plane tickets to Africa!! Well, 4 and a half... Sweet Girl just needs one home!

6.  New TOMS wedges. Have you seen these? I them:

7. Good News! I read about another lovely family receiving "The Call" this week and it made my heart soar all over again!! That feeling is euphoric. I can't even describe it but I was so excited to see that they were holding pictures of their new Little One.

Beautiful. Just Beautiful.

8.  Books that challenge my spirit. I have kinda-sorta joined a Book Club...meaning, I am reading the books with them but their meeting dates for the next TWO months coincide with dates we are traveling. Thus, I am not really in the club...since the whole meeting-discussing-eating our hearts out is a critical element of said-club-ness.

Anyways. This month we are reading two different viewpoints on Hell. And boy, oh boy..am I enjoying these books!

9.  Getting cards or letters in the mail. This just makes me happy =)

10.  Fall Weather, Pumpkin Spice Lattes, and Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate. I know I have said this before... I am a creature of habit. Ya'll should just consider yourself lucky that I am not already saying "Christmas" every week =)

What are you thankful for this Thursday??

Thankful Thursday

There have been a couple days where I struggled to find something specifically going on that I was "thankful" for...and immediately, I would be brought to repentence:

"We rejoice [Give Thanks] in our sufferings because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope." Romans 5:3-4

"In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you."  I Thessalonians 5:18

I know this may come as a shock to some of you, but...


I'm not perfect.

And sometimes, I need to be reminded that I have So. Much. to be thankful for...

Even on days when work stinks and I wish I was anywhere else.

Even when my house is filthy and balancing the checkbook gives me ulcers.

Even when nothing seems to be going in my favor.

I should still be Thankful.

Because I have been redeemed.

I have been given salvation and eternal life.

And it doesn't matter how bad things get here.......Because my rewards are in Christ.

He IS my hope everlasting.

So, here is what I am thankful for today:

*  My cat, Oliver. He pretty much adores me. It's nice to come home to that =)

*  New connections who have a heart for helping adoptive families

*  Netflix (specifically, Star Trek: The Next Generation right now)

*  Fall television premiers

*  Fall. Just in general.

*  Cooler temperatures (see above)

*  Saturdays with nothing planned

*  Opportunities for new friendships

*  Spicy Taco Soup

*  Upcoming trips with wonderful friends

How about you? What are you Thankful for this Thursday??

Thankful Thursday.

I will give thanks to the LORD because of his righteousness;

I will sing the praises of the name of the LORD Most High.   Psalm 7:17

I find that I can typically find something to be thankful for everyday...but it's nice every now and then to force myself to really examine my life and see where I can truly be thankful to God each day.

And today:


1. I am thankful that --thanks to Lil' Tank visiting us-- I caught my Whooping Cough pretty early. This bacterial sickness can get pretty nasty and, while mine hasn't been a walk in the park, I know I am blessed to have such a minor case.

I am usually slow to head to the Dr. but with a kiddo around, I wanted to get this nipped in the bud. In a normal situation, it would have gotten much worse before I made an appt!

2. I am thankful that the weather is cooling off and reminding us that Fall is right around the corner....September is one of my favorite months for a couple of reasons:
                            * College Football
                            * Less humidity (yay for frizzy-less hair!)
                            * Cooler temeratures
                            * Open-windows
                            * Long walks
                            * Outdoor grilling
                            * The changing of the colors

I know each season has something to love and be grateful for but March and September are by far my favorite months of the year and I am especially thankful when these months appear

Lil' Tank and I made a Fall wreath to celebrate the season!

3.  That my friend Randee (and her husband Trace, of course) are going to be able to attend Empowered to Connect with us! I love being able to share adoption with such great people!

P.S. She just wrote a great post about their journey waiting so far. I highly recommend you check it out!

4.  The African Fellowship gathering The Husband and I are attending Friday at church. It makes me giddy and nervous just thinking about it!! I am super excited!  I pray this is a connection that stays close in our lives as we bring Cupcake home and  and that it eases her brave transition into this new world!

5.  Old friends. I rarely get to spend much time with friends when we travel to our childhood home...but even a few minutes here and there is nice and I am thankful that they make time for us and love us and are cheering us on in this roller-coaster journey of international adoption!

6. Natural hair care websites...I know, I know...I've already said it..but Seriously.  Knowing that my daughter deserves the very best and knowing that I want to be the one meeting those needs can make a gal quite nervous when it comes to hair care...Specifically....hair styles.

But after a month (ahem, 4 weeks and 3 days) of searching online, perusing blogs and websites, watching youtube videos, reading posts. and learning, learning, learning...I am far more confident today than I have been so far. Bring on the cornrows and double-stranded twists!! =)

7. I am also excited about making my practice board this weekend. I still really want an mannequin head (anyone out there have any connections?) but the ones online are TOO expensive for my blood...So yarn it is, for now =)

8.  Crockpot Girls. I know it's going to be hard for some of ya'll to believe...but I? Am crock-pot illiterate. Besides the usual beef stew and queso, I just have No. Idea. what to use my crockpot for. Now, don't get me wrong...I don't aspire to be as cool as they are. It's just nice to see some easy "throw it all in" recipes that make life easier =)

9.  Pinterest. Enough said.

10.  The prayers going up on behalf of our sweet girl and our process to bring her home. We are grateful for the support and prayers of so many people. We don't deserve it, we know that. And we are constantly thankful  and humbled that God would bless us with so many wonderful people anyways!

Now, what are you thankful for today?

Thankful Thursday

I'm sure it's a real thing and that I should be linking up with some big blogging Thankful Thursday community.

But I'm not.

I am just one small person, recognizing that in the midst of chaos? We must choose thankfulness.

"Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus" I Thess. 5:18

So here is what I am thankful for today:

*  Pictures of my Sweet Girl

*  Pre-cut chiffon (and in animal print, nonetheless!)

*  Christmas decorations

No, I am not with the crowd that thinks we start decorating stores for Christmas too early. I rejoice at the first whiff of cinammon and the first glimmer of pre-lit trees. I wait for-- nay LONG for--Christmas all year long!

*  The Power of Prayer.  Even though God has never foresaken my prayers, I still stand in amazement when He responds to them

*  Referrals. After a  long long LONG 8 months with NO (nada, zero, zilch) movement, 5 --FIVE--  families saw their sweet new childrens faces in August. Praise the Lord!

*  Steve Martin's bluegrass concert. Two favorite parts are Here and Here (I'm sorry. Athiest Ain't Got No Songs is Just. Funny. Stuff.)

*  Cherry Coke Zero. Seriously, how long has this existed and me not known about it?!?!?!

*  All Things Girly (Pettiskirt tutorials, cupcake fabric, canopies, flower hair accessories, dolls,  pink, etc...).

We were so CERTAIN that we would be referred a 4 year old boy...we had never specified a desire for anything of the sort but with the natural progression of things, it just seemed so obvious to us.


But I am SO thankful to God for surprising me with our Sweet Girl. I had no idea how much I would love getting our world ready for her =)  


The Husband is also jumping on the All Things Girly bandwagon... recently I found BOTH The Princess and the Frog AND Tangled on our Netflix list. Wonder how those got there????? =)

*  The Joy of trying to explain to my almost-five-year old nephew that it was "okay" for me to turn Right on Red.

"BUT RED MEANS STOP!!! AND YOU HAVE TO STOP UNTIL IT TURNS GREEN. BECAUSE GREEN MEANS GO"

Oh my, child.

*  That, after taking the above-mentioned nephew to Church last night, he proceeded to tell his mom that we took him to the Jesus Music Place.

You know? The place where you sing songs to Jesus.

*Insert big goofy grin here*

*  The Power of Prayer.  I know I already said this one. But it deserves an encore. I really am eternally grateful that the King of the Universe hears the cries of my heart and responds quickly in power and might.

What about you?

What are you thankful for today?