Wordless Wednesday: Rhett's First Soccer Game

Sneek Peek: Modern Chic Baby Shower

I was so excited when one of my nearest and dearest friends, Courtney, announced she was pregnant because not only do I get to be an 'Aunt' for the first time (we are not sisters, but she's the sister I never had and she's Aunt Courtney to Rhett!) but I have had the fun of designing her baby shower.

When I think of Courtney I think modern and chic. Have you ever had a friend that could shop at any store at any time and come out looking hip and fashionable? She's that friend and on top of it I have never seen her have a bad hair day! But, above all the fashion and hair is a woman who desires to walk for the Lord and I am blessed most by this.

Every great event starts with an invitation and I had fun trying to make this one special. Once she found out she was having a little boy I knew brown, orange and blue was the perfect color scheme. I found 2 fabrics that were exactly what I was going for and used them as inspiration.

Here's the final product:

I found a really neat company (Stamps.com) that will take your design and print postage stamps to match your invitations!

The fabric inspiration:

7 Years Ago ...

I walked down the aisle with my best friend and became his wife...

we celebrated ...

began our lives together ...and 7 years later I am still blessed to have Reggie

by my side as we journey through life!

Before we were married I was given an illustration of what marriage would be like and it has always stayed with me. Here's how it went:

A Marriage

You are holding up a ceiling with both arms. It is very heavy, but you must hold it up, or else it will fall down on you. Your arms are tired, terribly tired, and as the day goes on it feels as if your arms or the ceiling will soon collapse.

But then, unexpectedly, something wonderful happens: someone walks into the room and holds their arms up to the ceiling beside you.

So you finally get to take down your arms. You feel the relief of respite, the blood flowing back to your fingers and arms. And when your partner's arms tire, you hold up your own to relieve him again.

And it can go like this for years without the house falling.

To my husband:

Reggie, thank you for 'holding the ceiling up' when I couldn't and giving me the honor of doing the same for you. I thank God everyday that He choose you to be my partner. No one else could love me as perectly as you do. I look forward to what God has in store for our lives together and I love you!

Frugal Friday - Magazine Subscriptions

I love to sit and go through a great magazine to look for ideas, recipes and other interesting info. But, I don't like to pay the cover price! Instead I use the internet to find a great deal on my favorite magaizines and sometimes I even get some of them free.

My favorite place to go to get a great deal is Amazon .com. They have great discounts on the most popular magazines and there's always a Steal of the Week. And, this month they are offering an extra $5 or $10 instant discount on new or renewal subscriptions. A few weeks ago I got a Real Simple magazine 1 year subscription for only $5! It usually goes for $54 per year.

Here are a few other current deals:

American Baby is now offering 6 free issues along with a free 1 year subscription to Baby Talk magazine (Babies Online)

Seventeen - get 2 free isuues (Mercury Magazines)

Shape- get a 2 year subscription for free just for answering a few questions(Reward Gold)

Golf - Only $5 this week at Amazon.com, it's the Steal of the Week.

Now you can get all your favorite magazines and never pay the newstand price again!

Today Our Hearts Are Heavy

Over the last few days we have had to make a very difficult decision. As our adoption process starting to unfold we were faced with several issues that were not given to us during our initial placement.

We have surrendered the entire adoption to God, laying down our deepest desires and asked Him to give us clear direction on how to to proceed. Reggie and I both poured over the scriptures during this time and continued to ask for wisdom. We kept coming back to James 1:2-8

Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, nad it will be given to hm. But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does.

Desperate not to be double-minded and always wondering if we were making the right decision we asked for wisdom not doubting that whatever the answer was or how painful it may be God brought us into this situation for His purposes. Some of His purposes we don't know, but others He has shown us along the way. I think Reggie put is best when he said, "Jessica this baby may not have had anyone to pray over her if we had not been led down this path." And, as I was able to develop a realtionship with the birth mother there were many opportunities to talk to her about the love of Jesus and how He has changed my life.

Even in the midst of our heartache we know God has a wonderful plan for our famiy that is much more wonderful than anything we could ever imagine.

If you would like to pray with us, these are the areas of prayer we need covered:

Items for Prayer

Baby- *Pray for her little body as she only has a few weeks before delivery. She is measuring smaller than the doctors would like and with all the exposure to alcohol and other substances she needs us to lift her up.

Birth mother - *Pray that as she is told about our decision today that she not be filled with rejection or bitterness.

*Pray she continues to realize that adoption is the best choice for the baby.

Birth father - *Pray that the situation of contacting him about the baby is resolved so he can also make the best choice for the baby.

New Adoptive Family - * Pray that our lawyer is able to find a couple who is capable of providing a home for a child with possible lifelong health impairments. And, that the birth mother will be upfront and honest with this couple as the adoption moves forward.

Our Family - *Pray as we tell Rhett that we will not be bringing a baby sister home. He prays for and asks about the baby each day and continues to as,"Mommy are we bringing the baby home today?"

*Pray for our hearts as they are heavy.

*Pray that we have clear direction on where to go from here and if He has another child for us that we wait patiently and stay content.

First Day of Preschool

Rhett started preschool yesterday and he was

all smiles as we were getting ready...

out the door and still smiling...

leaving me in the dust as he practically ran to his classroom.

So, I normally cry on his first day back and this year was no different. There is just something about seeing him another year older and thinking about how precious each stage has been. It really is true that the time that they are little goes by so fast!

Oh, A Camping They Would Go!

Reggie and Rhett decided they would go on their first camping trip together this weekend and traveled all the way to the backyard. My son was so excited as he gathered up his little flashlight and sleeping bag and Reggie enjoys any opportunity to go camping (this was another one of those special things that Reggie has always looked forward to since having a son).

In the tent for the night, expect for a few quick trips to the kitchen!

The next morning this is what I saw as I looked out the window. Rhett ready to go as the first ray of sunshine peeked through and Reggie worn out after a night of someone stealing all the covers.

I asked Rhett what he and daddy talked about in the tent and he said, "Boy stuff mommy!" It is so precious to see how much they love each other and I hope as times goes on their will be plenty more camping trips together!

Birthday Fun in the Mountains

This weekend my sweet hubby decided that he wanted to take me to the mountains for my birthday. We drove up to Ashville, NC and had the best time listening to Rhett as he saw mountains for the first time. I realized it's easy to forget the wonder of God's creations as we get older and I am so blessed when my little one reminds me!

Since we had never been to Grandfather Mountain, that's where we decided to spend the day. I didn't mention to Reggie the Mile High Swinging Bridge (he is not too fond of heights!) until we got to the top.

It really is a whole mile above ground level!

Look mom no hands!! About then, I was rethinking the idea I had of taking a really cool shot of Rhett on one of the highest peaks of the mountain. Not a good place to be practicing his super hero moves.

We all made it and the views were breathtaking from so high up.

We got up close and personal with a black bear and Rhett wanted to take him home. Is this kid afraid of anything?
After all that mountain climbing and bear hunting it was time for some birthday cake. I love sweet little bakeries where everything is made fresh and we found one downtown. It is owned by two sisters who get up at 3:30 each morning to bake these little beauties.

I went for a vanilla buttercream with sprinkles!

And, I had to share with my little man after he gave me the sweetest rendition of the Happy Birthday Song.