Wreath Ideas

Nesting Place is an adorable blog with great ideas for your home.  Right now, they're encouraging their readers to share their own wreath design ideas on their website, and I've decided to share mine!  There are dozens of great wreath ideas for you to check out...and maybe even try designing yourself.  Enjoy!

  

I found this square wreath at Flower and Home Marketplace (formerly the "Flower & Craft Warehouse" in Blue Ball, PA).  I added a variety of artificial succulents, plants, and berries.  The succulents were all purchased at Michael's.  I then wrapped a natural jute twine around the lower left-hand corner of the wreath in two places.  Everything was attached to the wreath with a hot glue gun.

http://www.thenester.com/#

(My wreath is #121.)

Honoring Birthdays

We just celebrated our daughter's FOURTH birthday last week!!!

I love the joy and celebration that surrounds a birthday.  But as an adoptive momma, I also can't help but think of our daughter's birth-mom on those days, too.  Our joy may very well still be her pain.  Her separation and heartache became our joy and reason to celebrate in early November each year.  

Schedules, timing, life going on...whatever the reason may be...it just hasn't worked out this year for us to meet up with our daughter's biological family.  I can feel guilty about this.  I've sent emails, expressing the invitation to get together with them, but as with all open adoption relationships, there's no set formula for staying connected.  No official plans have been made.  What was once a yearly get-together for our family with our daughter's biological family may be changing...or maybe not.  

But one thing that stays the same is her biological family's birthdays each year, too.  Our connection to Mya's biological family has been primarily with three people: her biological mom, her biological grandma, and her half-brother.  And they ALL have November birthdays, as well.  

It may seem small.  It may seem unnecessary.  But for us, we like to honor their birthdays each year by sending them a card.  And as our daughter's gotten older, she's enjoyed adding her special artist touches to their cards.  We're getting ready to mail these cards and drawings out soon --

On her own, our daughter wanted to include the words "You are so special" and "I love you" in her drawings for her biological mom.  I'm proud of her for choosing those words.  It kinda caught me off guard; it can feel sort of scary for her to say those words to me about her biological mom.  But I'm choosing to support our daughter's words.  In fact, I'm thankful that that's her perception of this woman in her life.  I'm thankful for the respect and love that she does have for her.  My prayer is that our daughter's birth-mom will receive these special gifts with love and appreciation and not hurt and pain.  

Being an adoptive mom (and hopefully soon-to-be foster mom), life continues to be a learning curve.  Navigating birthdays and holidays.  Explaining life and how our family was formed.  Completing school projects in the years ahead - family trees, family history.  But through God's grace, I desire for Him to work through me each step of the way.  

No life event is too big (or too small) for our God to handle.  

Need any COSTUME ideas?

I don't know about the area you live in, but around here, our Goodwill stores are still STOCKED with Halloween costumes (...or items you could piece together to come up with a great costume...).  And the best part is that their costumes are at a FRACTION of the price of what you'll pay in an actual Halloween store.  Just this week, I found a look-alike "ANNA" (from "Frozen") dress for our daughter at Goodwill for only $4.50.  She was thrilled!!!  Think outside the box - Goodwill, Salvation Army, garage sales, or even your own closet! 

With Halloween being a little less than a week away, here are a few EASY ideas for last-minute DIY costumes....

STARBUCKS Pumpkin Spice Latte



TY Beanie Babies



LIPTON Tea Bag



JELLY BELLY Jelly Beans



LEGOS



Washing Machine & Laundry Basket



UPS Delivery Man



PLAY-DOH



Rock, Paper, Scissors


*AND* 
Don't forget -- Often the day or so after Halloween, Goodwill's costumes get marked down (i.e. 50% off the Goodwill price or more) because they wanna clear their store to make room for Christmas items.  Last year, I found lots of great costumes for only a buck or two for our daughter's dress-up bin, her themed dress-up days for preschool (like "community helper" day), and so on.  Anything from a cowgirl to a doctor.  But -- Once they're gone, they're gone!

It's OFFICIAL...

We're now an APPROVED FOSTER FAMILY for Berks County Children & Youth Services.  

I was both surprised and excited to see two emails in my inbox today from our caseworkers, letting us know this news.  

So many of you have asked how this process is going for us and have let us know you're praying for us, and we thank you!  The Lord continues to fill us with a "peace that passes all understanding," and for that, we are grateful and excited to open our home and our hearts in this way.

Almost daily, our daughter Mya lets me know of her excitement, too.  Just today while driving in the car, she said, "Mommy, I have so much love for our baby.  So much love for our baby and for you and for Daddy."  The Lord is so closely walking alongside her little heart, as well.  

 And on one other random side note, we were just blessed with a free infant car seat.  A sweet friend (...shout out to Katie D!...) shared on Facebook several weeks ago about a grant that a local police officer received which allowed him to giveaway brand new car seats.  I took a chance yesterday and called the police department, and they had an INFANT car seat still available.  It's already been safely installed into our car by the police officer, so we're officially ready-to-go!  (And it sounds like he'll be getting more car seats in a variety of sizes soon through an additional grant, so contact me for more details if you or someone you know may benefit from this wonderful blessing.)

So for now, we just wait.  Expectantly.  :)

Something NEW is on the Horizon for Our Family!

The events of our summer months have evolved into a change for our family.  I've tossed around how to go about sharing this news, but this seems to be the best way I can think of doing it --

We are happy to announce that we are officially becoming a foster care family!

The decision hasn't come quickly.  We've given it countless hours of thought.  We've talked it over with our families and dear friends.  We've educated ourselves about what this will mean for our family.  And we're super excited!

When this idea was first presented to us by an extended family member, we hesitated.  And wanted to take things slowly.  The change seemed scary.  And to be honest, it still does, at times.  But as we made the decision to move forward and began the process of becoming an approved foster care family, the necessary steps have unraveled as needed and at just the right time.  We were able to complete a stack of paperwork quickly...including having our clearances returned to us promptly.  We were able to attend all four required trainings in four consecutive weeks (we had nothing else on our calendar the evenings of each training which was a semi-miracle in-and-of itself).  Our home's well water tests all came back good.  And our caseworker visited our home.  Our official home study should be completed and approved within the next week.  We have just the right amount of non-perishable foods and a bottled water supply to last us for 3-days in the event of a natural disaster.  I now have a "no smoking" sign on my refrigerator and an emergency evacuation plan in place.

And this has all happened literally within just the last six weeks.

It feels like a bit of a whirlwind.  And yet, it feels right. We continue to take steps...in faith...and the Lord continues to open doors.  Our trust is resting in the Lord right now.  This feels so similar to our adoption journey for our daughter a couple of years ago...but it also feels quite different.  I'm reminding myself that different isn't always a bad thing.  And in this case, different is going to be a very good thing for us.

Being a foster care family is going to be challenging.  It's going to require faith, patience, wisdom, grace, and trust.  It may require tough decisions and raw emotions.  And I imagine that it will involve tears...possibly lots of tears...but I know that the Lord is with us each step of the way.  And for as long as the Lord continues to open doors for us, we will continue to take steps in faith.

There will be times that I won't be able to share details about the foster care journey on here out of respect for the situation and because of confidentiality.  But we cherish your thoughts and prayers as we step out in faith to see how the Lord will use us.  Thank you, in advance, for walking alongside our family through this new venture.

MORE Back-to-School Printables!

The I Can Teach My Child website has two more great back-to-school printables available, and they're both FREE!  Just download each printable and print them out at home.

[1] "First Day of School" Signs 
(*Available in Preschool & Pre-K through Grade 8*)



[2] "Back-to-School" Prayer Cards for Our Kids

Morning Routine Cards

Dare I mention the word S-C-H-O-O-L?

With it being just a few weeks away, I wanted to share this FREE PRINTABLE with you - Morning Routine Cards - as you prepare for your family's start to the new school year. Thanks, I Can Teach My Child, for sharing these!  They're available for print in RED, PINK, BLUE, or GREEN.

Adoption & Choosing a Name

Anxiously, we entered the restaurant.  Stepping to the side of the lobby area, out of the way, I knew we needed to wait to sit down until our guests arrived, too.  I would recognize two of the guests, but the third guest would be a stranger to me.  I had no idea what she looked like or how she would dress.

Moments later, the door to the restaurant opened again.  Our guests had arrived.  We greeted one another and moved across the dining area to a large booth.  Our guests sat on one side of the booth, and I scooted into the other side of the bench, along with my husband.

It was a bit of a "getting to know you" event.  It was a bit scary.  It was a bit awkward.  I was pretty nervous.  Sitting in a booth, across from our (then soon-to-be) child's birthmom, we began getting to know this stranger.  This woman that would quickly become a very important part of our lives.  Forever.

While eating lunch and carrying on the small talk, she then revealed to us that she had given birth to a little girl.  She told us that her name was "Mya."  My heart skipped a beat.  I kicked my husband under the table.  I swallowed hard.  I asked her to repeat the baby's name.  I was in denial.

************

As we anticipated adopting a child, we were deeply thankful to our adoption agency for the many trainings that they both offered and required.  We learned so much through these opportunities about ourselves, about the misconceptions of adoptions, birthparents, and the adoption process, and so much more.

Our hearts grew in this time of waiting.  Our hearts were being prepared to welcome a child...our child...in God's perfect timing.

It was a long wait.

Nearly two years, to be exact.  And that's just the amount of time we spent anticipating a child while on the adoption agency's waiting list.  That doesn't include the years before that that included infertility, tests, a surgery, and seeking the direction that God wanted for our life by attending informational meetings at various adoption and foster care agencies, before selecting the agency that felt right for us and our family.

And like all soon-to-be parents...my husband and I would very occasionally talk baby names.  I can remember one instance, though, when he and I were sitting in an airport, waiting to board a plane long before our scheduled departure and jotting down names of boys and girls that we both like and both agreed on.

Boys' names were hard for us.  None really stood out to us.  But there were two girls' names that we agreed on pretty quickly - Brooklyn and Mya.  Yes, you read that correctly - Mya.  (At the time, we thought we'd spell it like Maya Angelou.)

Through the counseling and training we received at Bethany, we knew that ultimately, we could name our adopted child whatever we wanted once the adoption was finalized at the courthouse; we also learned the importance of keeping part or all of the child's birth name to honor their birthparents and to honor their heritage.  My husband and I always agreed that we'd at least keep a portion of our adopted child's name...possibly moving an original first name to a middle name.

We never actually had to deeply think through that one.  To have picked the exact same name as our daughter's birthmom picked was simply crazy.

*************

When our daughter's birthmom said that the baby's name was Mya, it felt like an affirmation from the Lord that this was the child that God had been preparing our hearts and lives for for so many years.  We shared the beauty of the "same name" story with Mya's birthmom immediately, as we sat with her and the two adoption caseworkers at the restaurant.  I could see in her eyes that day that it meant the world to her.  We also agreed to keep Mya's middle name the same, to pay honor to Mya's birthmom's grandmother.

I don't share this story today to make it seem like our adoption story is any more special than other adoption stories.  Each and every adoption story is beautiful in its own way.  I love hearing so many different adoption stories.

I share this story rather as a reminder that our God is a God of details.  He cares about the nitty-gritty details of our lives.  He knew that in that very moment that that same first name would bring affirmation and commitment and unity to two separate families' lives.  He cared enough for Mya's birthmom, during an emotionally and physically draining time in her life, to give her that peace and reassurance about us keeping the very name she chose.  God knew that that would build respect between us.

God revealed His creativity to us that day in the restaurant.  I would have never imagined, while waiting to adopt, that this would have ever happened in a million years.  I love that God is full of surprises, too...just when we need them.  Just when we least expect them.  God is good - so good.  Keep an eye out for Him in the details of your life.  Maybe even in the details of TODAY.

Three Years Ago Today...

Three years ago today, it was sunny and hot.  Our parents, grandparents, caseworkers, close friends, and a few other family members all joined together to celebrate and make official what felt permanent and meant-to-be from the time we held her for the first time - the day our daughter officially became ours.  It was the day we officially adopted our daughter.  

I can remember riding in the car and finding parking in the city's parking garage.  I can remember not wanting to run late.  I can remember what I wore.  I can remember the courthouse and its metal detectors.  I can remember riding in an elevator.  I can remember waiting in a hallway and feeling anxious before being called into the courthouse for our appointment.  I can remember being surrounded by those so precious and dear to us.  I can remember the emotions.  I can remember hoping that our daughter would not need another bottle feeding while in the courtroom.  I can remember the judge.  I can remember being called up by the judge and placing my hand of the Bible and my heart racing.  I can remember the commitment we made on that day...legally...but feeling like it was the commitment we had already made months (if not years) before when we decided that we wanted to become parents.  I can remember having photos taken afterward with those that came to support us and with the judge, and I can remember our tiny, 7-month old daughter reaching and grabbing hold of the judge's gown (it was captured in a photo and still makes me chuckle).  I can remember the joy and excitement.  I can remember the tears of deep thankfulness.  I can remember taking a short walk and enjoying lunch.  I can remember being deeply in awe of God's provision for us and our family.

On this very day, three years ago, our daughter officially became ours and for that, we are forever grateful.  Grateful to our adoption agency and caseworkers.  Grateful to those that so closely walked with us and supported us during our journey.  Grateful to our daughter's biological parents for agreeing and committing to this being the best decision for her.  Grateful to the court system and the role that they play.  Grateful to our attorney.  Grateful to our families, friends, church family, neighbors, co-workers, and many more - The ways that you abundantly gave and helped us out and loved and supported us are forever appreciated, and we thank you!

And just before becoming a mom, a quote struck my heart from the moment I heard it and has stuck with me for years.  It's a quote that hits home for me and feels so fitting on this day as I reflect on our daughter's life and our adoption journey over the last couple of years - "It takes a whole village to raise a child."  Amen!

Scholastic DOLLAR DEALS

For all of my teacher friends, SCHOLASTIC has their "dollar deals" going on right now.  Be sure to check out their website for some great deals on books, ebooks, handouts, patterns, classroom decor (like bulletin board borders), etc.  Hundreds of items are on sale for only $1 or $2.

Lunchbox Love Notes

Growing up, I rarely packed my lunch for school.  So for a kid like me, it was super exciting on the days that I did...like school field trip days.  And I can vividly remember my mom often tucking a little note into my lunchbox.  Often a note, handwritten with a pen or Sharpie marker on a napkin.  And I loved it.  It made me feel special and loved.

So when I stumbled upon this website, I wanted to share it with you.



"Say Please" offers adorable lunchbox notes and other gifts that can be purchased for your family or for teachers.  They also offer several FREE printables here.  Additionally, many other websites offer a nice variety of printable lunchbox notes...including Happy Home Fairy, The Peaceful Mom, and Nick Jr. 

Regardless of how pretty your note looks, it's the thought that counts.  Bring a smile to someone's face today or tomorrow - help them finish the end of their school year strongly or conquer a tough day on the job - with a note of encouragement and love.  Spread a little love!

Sometimes the BEST lunchbox note is still the quick, handwritten one on the simple white napkin.  :) 

Gut-Wrenching Sacrifice

As Easter approaches, I find myself thinking over and over again about the number of sacrifices connected to this holiday.

God gave His ONLY Son.  

I am a mom to only one child.  I connect with God in this way.  And if you have children in your life, too, it doesn't matter the number, you can sense the sacrifice that God must have experienced.  As a mom, I can feel in my gut (and maybe you can, too) the deep pain that must have been felt by God, knowing the pain His Son was going to go through while dying on the cross.  

Jesus WILLINGLY gave His life.

Jesus loves me...ME! (silly, outgoing, stay-at-home mom - ME! - who likes Goodwill and random things like hamloaf and hot summer days and serving others and ballet and Shawshank Redemption and does NOT like spiders and brussel sprouts and the many injustices in this world)...and you...YES, YOU!...Jesus loves you enough to have died in an extremely painful way.  He sacrificed His own life for us.  My sins...your sins...our sins are washed away by the blood He shed. 

Jesus PUT ASIDE His earthly desires.

He sacrificed the things of this world.  The relationships he had with His earthly mother, Mary, and father, Joseph.  The relationships with his family, his disciples, his friends, his neighbors.  I'm not a deeply theological person, so I may not get all of the details correct...but I do know that in a human, earthly sense, He sacrificed a career, a home, hobbies and interests.  He sacrificed fame and attention.  He sacrificed wealth.  And in giving up everything, He gained everything.  For you and for me.  Because He loves us.  

*Would I sacrifice like this?  

*Give up all of this?  

*Do I sacrifice like this?   

*Place my own desires aside for others, and more importantly, for God's glory?  

Christ's example is convicting.  Oh, to be more and more like Him!  Thank you, Jesus, for your example.

I'm sure there are more examples of sacrifice in the Easter story.  But these three examples have really struck me this year, have really touched my heart in an extra special way.  

And on a slightly different note...but still connected to sacrifice....

As an adoptive momma, the word "sacrifice" and its definition and emotions behind it really resonate with my heart.  I can't help but feel deeply about the sacrifice that our daughter's birthmother made in choosing to give our daughter LIFE.  She willingly put her own desires aside and invited us to become the parents of her daughter.  Our daughter.  Her example to me and to Mya are a beautiful picture of sacrifice, and I pray that her heart can continue to heal each day and that God would bless her abundantly.

Let me take a moment to remind you:  It's never too late...you're never too old...to begin your journey with Jesus.  

I invite you to begin learning more about Him today.  And if you can, please join us on Sunday morning at Faith Church to worship, honor, and learn more about God and Jesus this Easter Sunday.  All are welcome.  We'd love to have you!  

Facing Fears

Do you live in fear?  Do you fear...

Thunderstorms, SPIDERS, the Dark, the Unknown, certain Social Situations, what Other People think of you, Death, getting Sick?

The list could go on and on.  Fear is very real.

I have feared spiders and centipedes for as long as I can remember.  My parents even invested in a "spider zapper" that plugged into an outlet in my bedroom wall as a kid and supposedly sent out some kind of frequency or radio waves to keep those creatures away.  God bless my parents; I love them!  And just the mere thought of a spider's or centipede's creepy legs crawling across my foot is still enough to give me chills.  I smile as I remember that that tiny creature is only a small fraction of my size, but over time, fear has been set inside me.  My fear has grown, but as an adult, I can live with it and even face my fears when I need to.

From one day to the next, a fear can really impact your life.

A couple of years ago, we began receiving prank phone calls.  Directly to our home.  The prankster first called our house just after midnight, waking us from our sleep and totally freaking us out.  The prankster always called and asked for my husband by his first name.  The prankster liked to distort his voice, too, making it all the more eerie.

These prank phone calls continued on-and-off again for several months.  Happening at the most random of times.  Evenings, weekends, mornings.  Sometimes sporadic and other times with calls happening one right after the other.  And each time, the prankster always asked for my husband by name, even if I answered the phone.

Talk about scary.
Talk about fear.

Fear quickly built up inside us.  I found myself keeping an eye out around me.  Becoming extra aware of my surroundings.  And even living in fear.

This was not me.

It was terrible.  In those months of prank phone calls, I experienced living life in fear.  It made me anxious.  It made me edgy.  It made me doubt and question.  It was not how I wanted to live.  And thankfully, after months of fear, one final conversation with the prankster, and a call to our phone company to make some changes to our home phone, the prank calls ended.

But to this day, we have yet to learn who that prank caller was.  Fear is a hard thing to deal with.  With each passing day, sharing about this with friends and family, seeking changes to our phone's plan, and lots of prayer, I was able to lessen this fear and not allow the fear to influence or direct my days.

I am thankful that I don't have to live in fear.  Jesus releases my fears, and I can live instead with trust and hope.  I am protected and loved.  And when struggles and hardships do come along (because I know they will) God is always with me, each step of the way.

Rather than fear - Today, I choose trust.  Will you choose trust with me, too?

10 Easter Activities

As the Easter holiday quickly approaches and warmer, more Spring-like days are in our weather forecasts, here are some ideas to do with the little ones in your life.  Click on each picture for details and instructions.

[1]  Paper Plate Daffodils



[2]  Color-by-Number Easter Egg Decorating



[3]  Hand Print Bunny



[4]  "Thumb" Bunny Loves You!



[5]  Easter Eggs - WITHOUT Candy!



[6]  Bunny Mask



[7]  Confetti Easter Eggs



[8]  Simple Craft - Retelling the Easter Story



[9]  "You've Been Egged!" Activity



[10]  Printable Coloring Pages




And, let's not forget the real reason for celebrating the Easter holiday - 

Friendship Circle - Sharing Our Journey!

If you would have asked me several years ago if I would have seen myself sharing my story...our infertility and adoption journeys...with others, I would have probably laughed and dismissed the possibility. 

What would I share about my story?  Who cares about what I went through?

But I'm discovering that we ALL have a story to share with others.  And I'm slowly learning how to share our story - not because my journey is more special but because God has called me to share it.  

Our story isn't really different from others that have adopted.  EACH and EVERY adoption story holds its own special and beautiful details, including ours.  But in the last two years, we've been asked to begin sharing our journey with others.  To my faithful blog readers, you've read some of the stories of our journey.  You've entered into our lives and have begun to understand what brought our family together.  We've also shared our story to youth groups, during Chick-fil-A's "Come & Play" times, and to child development classes at a local high school.  

And this coming week, I will again share our story to a group of ladies at "Friendship Circle" at Weaverland Mennonite Church.  {Prayers appreciated!}

At times, I've felt silly sharing our journey.  My story doesn't make my journey better than another's.  My story isn't more amazing, more wild, more adventurous, or more awesome than the stories of many others who have walked down these paths, too.  But God has opened these doors, time and time again, for us to share about our adoption, and each time, we've felt led to accept the offer to speak.  

As we share (and I prepare to share on Tuesday morning), it's NOT about ME.  It's about GOD.  It's about how HE's shaped our lives, and the least I can do is give back all of the HONOR and GLORY to HIM as I share.   Because the truth is - He IS amazing. Those of you that know our story know the details and know that, time and time again, we've turned things over to Him, surrendering our wants and our needs for His purpose.  It's not about us.  It's not about what I want or what we want.  It's about allowing Him to live in us and work through us...for HIS PURPOSE.  And it was hard...really, really HARD...to get to that place of surrender, but I can assure you that once we allowed Him to work, He worked in unbelievable ways.  

And our story is not yet finished.  We have no idea what plans the Lord has for us in the future, in HIS perfect plan.  We have no idea if or when we'll be blessed with more children in the Hershey household...and that can feel scary.  The uncertainty can be intimidating.  But one thing I know for sure is that whatever His plans are for me and for our family, I can rest in knowing that He will get me to that point and give me all that I need to accept that new path of my journey.  

Your story is unfinished, too.  But if you allow God into your life, He can do big...and I mean REALLY BIG...things with your life!

If you or anyone you know would like to hear me share on Tuesday morning, you may contact me for details.  I will be nervous.  I will be anxious and a bit scared, too.  But I also know that I want to step outside of my comfort zone, so others can experience the love of Jesus...through the details of my journey...the way that I did when I needed Him most.  

"I was in your heart, Mommy."

Driving in the car, we approached the traffic light at the entrance to Sight & Sound Theatre.  As we waited for the red light to turn green, I heard from the backseat ...

"Mom, what's that place?  What's way up there?" ... As my three-year old pointed to the theatre's entrance and long driveway which leads to its gorgeous establishment.

"It's a really cool place to see shows, Mya.  Daddy and I will take you there sometime.  Okay?"

She agreed and liked the idea.  Then our conversation continued.  And our daughter's words surprised me.

"I was there before, Mommy."  (I paused, pondering her words.)

"No, I don't think so, honey.  Daddy and I were there before.  But that's before you were born or in our family."  

And without hesitation, she replied, "I was there, Mommy.  I remember.  I was in your heart."  

WAIT?  WHAT?  HUH?

She literally left me speechless.  How could I disagree with her?  Her response was so pure, and she genuinely believed what she said.  I couldn't argue with her, but I literally had no words to say in response except, "Yes, honey.  Yes, you were in my heart."  

As many of you know, our daughter joined our family through adoption.  And we anticipated the day that her understanding of life and the world around her would require her to ask more and more questions.  Specifically questions related to her adoption story.  We've talked to her about her adoption story since the day we brought her home, thanks to the wonderful counseling we received through our caseworkers and training sessions at Bethany Christian Services.  And although she wouldn't remember our dialogues with her from that early of an age, it's made it a pattern for her Daddy and me to learn what to say and how to say it.

Mya knows she has a birth-mommy.  She knows she has a birth-daddy, too.  She knows their first names.  She also knows the names of her half-brother and biological grandmother.  She can identify them in pictures, and when we reconnect in-person with them each year, she warms up to them and remembers them shortly after our visit begins.  We've told her the town and the name of the hospital she was born in.  We reminisce with her about what it was like for us when she was a baby and when we brought her home.  We love sharing her adoption story with her, and as she gets older, we can tell she likes hearing the stories, too.

Mya's adoption story is such a special part of her...and yet I have no way of knowing how these details will all play-out in her life as she grows older and makes sense of it all on her own way.  I love that she leaves me speechless.  I love that her questions and comments give me no prep time.  This enables true, genuine responses from me...to her.  I want her to know my heart.  To feel my desire.  To truly sense my sincerity in conveying my love for her and her own unique adoption story.  I love that each person or family touched by adoption has their very own unique story to share, too!

And yet - with all of this occasional dialogue that we have with our daughter related to her open adoption, moments like this story that I've just shared with you continue to leave this adoptive momma SPEECHLESS.

And I'm okay with that.  :)  

Over 16,000 Coloring Pages!

My 3-year old loves to color.  And she especially loves coloring pictures of characters from books and television shows that she loves.  "SUPER COLORING," offers over 16,000 free printable coloring pages on their website.

Their categories range from cartoons and crustaceans to holidays, spiders, and vegetables.  Your favorite book characters like "Llama Llama" and "Amelia Bedelia" are available, too.  You can either print the pictures or color them online.  They even offer some dot-to-dot pages.  Here are a few examples....

[Click on images to print or color online.]

Llama Llama



The Very Hungry Caterpillar



Pinkalicious



Chicka Chicka Boom Boom



Olivia



Amelia Bedelia



Thomas the Train

AND MANY, MANY MORE.  Happy Coloring!!!

Beautiful Oops!

Every now and then, I stumble upon a book for kids that's just too good not to share.  Yesterday was the first time, in a long time, that I had read this book to our daughter, and I was reminded while reading it, that I need to share it with you.

"Beautiful Oops!" is written by Barney Saltzberg and is a fantastic book that I stumbled upon a couple of years ago and purchased for our daughter.  

Fun. Interactive. Heart-warming.

This story does an amazing job of explaining to its readers that it's okay to make mistakes and that we can take our mistakes and "make them into something beautiful."  I love that message.  The book also helps to lead you, as parents, into good discussions with your little ones.  This is a book for all ages.

Click here for more info or to purchase the book.  

Here are two more sample pages from the book to give you an idea of how it reads....

In Love With Our Differences

When our daughter was just 8-months old, we were on vacation and cooling off in the pool at our condo.  With her sun hat covering her fine, straight baby hair and shielding her from the sun, she was squealing with delight as she splashed in the water while in my arms.  Another swimmer - a little girl who was probably around 10-years old - was fascinated at watching Mya in the water.  I noticed this little girl watching us and smiling and moments later, she swam over to me and Mya and said, 

"Your daughter looks just like you." 

 I smiled and thanked her.  In my heart, I knew that my daughter didn't really look like me.  But I cherished this little girl's kind words.  It made my heart smile, and her comment has stuck with me to this day. 

[Fast-forward to now.]

Hardly a week goes by where I don't ask our daughter...

"Could I have one of your curls?"  

And without hesitation, she almost always says, "No, Mommy.  I want my curls."  [I'll often tease her a bit, and we'll bounce back-and-forth words like - "But I want them.  No, I want them.  But I really want them."]  Our conversation ends with giggles.  

If you know us, you know that our daughter, Mya, has quite curly hair.  And I remind her each time that she could spare just one of her curls for me to have on my head of super stick-straight, doesn't-hold-an-ounce-of-curl-unless-plastered-with-hairspray hair.  But - she insists on keeping all of her curls, and I don't blame her. 

When we brought our daughter home and I became her momma, I started to feel this internal desire to build her inner beauty.  To help her feel comfortable in her own skin.  To be confident in who she is and in how God created her.  

My daughter looks [outwardly] very different from me.  Her milk chocolate-colored skin, deep brown eyes, super long eyelashes, and tightly curled brown (with a hint of red) hair contrasts pretty boldly with my vanilla-colored skin, bright blue eyes, not-long eyelashes, and very straight dirty blonde hair.  And I love it.  

As her momma, I catch myself wondering how long it will be until she knows and sees and understands our differences.  

I see so much that she has in common with my husband and me.  But the outward differences do exist.  And I don't want to lessen those differences.  In fact, I love our differences.  I think our differences are really cool.  

And if anything, I'm thankful for our differences.  

Our differences have taught me the true meaning of what it means to be a family.  What it means to be a mom.  What it means to love.  And what it means to embrace our differences and be empowered by them.  

So with Mya's curly hair and my straight hair, we're gonna continue to venture through life together.  Cherishing our similarities.  Learning from each other.  And embracing our differences.  

More Valentine Card Ideas - WITHOUT Candy!

A few weeks ago, I shared TEN VALENTINE'S DAY CARD ideas with you.  Click here to check out these fun and very inexpensive ideas.  

And now, with Valentine's Day being just a little over TWO WEEKS AWAY, here are EIGHT MORE non-candy valentine ideas.  Thank you, Sassy Dealz blog, for these great ideas!  Click on each image for step-by-step instructions.  

[1] Twinkies + Despicable Me!



[2] Bananas



[3] Microwave Popcorn



[4] Pop-Tarts



[5] Cheez-It Crackers



[6] Apple Slices



[7] Grapes



[8] Bouncy Ball

Healing from Pain

I am part of a ladies book club at our church.  We meet one or two Saturdays each month, discuss the chapter read, and share.  Opening up our hearts to one another - sharing our life experiences, gaining insight, and learning more about the other ladies, ourselves, and God.

I cherish these Saturday morning book discussions.

And one theme that keeps coming to my mind each time we meet is that we all have something to share, something to give to one another.

When I think of my life experiences so far, I don't think of myself as someone with important information or knowledge or insight to pass along.  I don't consider our struggles with infertility anything special or out-of-the-ordinary.  But the ladies of this book club remind me that I do have something to share.  Something to give back.  And if my life experience with infertility (and later adoption) can benefit just one person then I will continue to share.

When I think back to those days of deeply longing...desiring...to have a child and to become a mom, I can immediately go right back there in my mind and heart.  It deeply impacted me.  And although your struggles and hardships might be very different than mine, I can tell you that pain is pain.  Pain is gut-wrenching and hard.  Pain can feel never-ending.  Pain can make us feel completely overwhelmed.

Infertility caused me pain.  Deep pain.

Infertility was my first real memory of a life situation that was hugely out of my control.  And when you're in that place of not being in control...and trusting in someone or something else...life's down-right scary.

People have often asked me, "How did you get through it?"  "How did you go on?"

There were days I wasn't sure how to go on.  There were days that my heart hurt so badly that I just wanted to cry...and I did.  Crying is a beautiful thing.  Humbling, at times, but cleansing and invigorating.  I remember moments in our journey that I would go into our bedroom, curl up into the fetal position on the floor, and pour my heart out...crying and sobbing...to the Lord.  I questioned Him.  I pleaded with Him.  And admittedly, I even got mad at Him.  But each time I went to that place of releasing it all and turning it over to Him, I was filled with peace.

I also chose to focus on others.  While going through infertility, my mind would often try to focus on myself and on our situation and on how bad it was for me and on and on.  I came to a place where I recognized that focusing on me was not going to make it better.  I had to often choose to think about other things and be intentional about asking others how they were doing.  I did not want to allow myself to become selfish in the midst of my pain.  And I knew others were going through junk, worse junk than our situation.  Allowing myself to focus on others and think outwardly, rather than inwardly, really helped my heart, enabled healing to take place, and kept things in perspective.

I wanted people in my life to keep me accountable, too.  Yes, there were times when I needed to cry.  Yes, it was okay and justified for me to be mad at times, too.  Yes, I was allowed to wish things were different or wish I didn't have to go through this.  But sometimes I just needed my close friends and family to remind me that I was going to be okay.  They challenged me to think things through differently, encouraged me, or simply listened.  For me, having someone to just listen was the best medicine at times.  I could vent and release things...and yet stay grounded in the Lord...because of their accountability.

And lastly, I did everything and anything I could do to stay positive and hopeful.  I would write encouraging Scripture passages or thought-provoking quotes on a note card and place it in my car or on our bathroom mirror to see it each morning.  We went on many date nights and did things spontaneously and just-for-the-fun-of-it, knowing that with kids, that would one day change a bit.  I continued working with children, at a preschool and at dance lessons, because I knew that was good for me; they always had a way of making me laugh and bringing joy to my life.  I sent cards to friends, thanking them for their friendship.  We got more involved in our church.  Surrounding ourselves with the people and things we loved enabled us to focus, yet again, on other things...as we waited and waited...patiently on the Lord's timing.

And just to be clear, let me take a moment to say that I did not handle everything about our situation perfectly or anywhere near perfectly.  I'm sure many of you reading this can think of an example where I wasn't kind or friendly or talkative to you.  As you interact and love others, remember that we don't always know what's going on in someone else's life; there could be a perfectly good explanation for something.  And I'm sure there were times that I was hurting.  Deeply.

If you're stuck in a rotten situation, let me take a moment to let you know that "I'm sorry."  Life sucks.  It's not easy and was never intended to be easy.  Facing infertility and the longing for a child head-on, I experienced for the first time how deeply God loves me.  Some people might look at our situation and think "how could you love a God that didn't allow you to carry a child."  I don't have the perfect answer.  But what I can tell you is that God is a loving God.  He knew this path was the best path for us.  It's not going to be a perfect path or an easy path, but it's the right path for me.  I can either be bitter about not carrying a child, or I can embrace it.  I can either hate God, or I can accept His plan for my life.

Infertility, like many other life situations, can. be. redeemed.  Beautiful things can come out of it.  May you remember today that your situation can be redeemed, too.

Winter, the real Spring. Say what?

When I first read this quote in a Real Simple magazine back in the Fall, it got me thinking.  I've never been a huge fan of Winter time.  I don't love the cold weather.  I don't love the dry air in our home or the headaches caused by the weather.  I don't love when snow or ice cause traveling to become dangerous or prevent the normal routines of life to go on.  I also don't love how our daylight is so limited during the winter months.  

Blah. Blah. Blah.  

It might sound like I'm whining.  And I admit that I might be.  Ha!  Every ounce of me, though, loves warmer weather, sunshine, and flowers, gardening, the beach, cooking on the grill, and spending evenings outdoors.

But there's such truth behind the words of this quote.  

For if it weren't for Winter and cold and rest, there wouldn't be the necessary preparation for Spring and warmth and growth.  What symbolism this quote holds for our own lives as well!  For if my life doesn't have times of darkness, hardships, and trials, I might never see the beauty or truly understand the gifts that life can provide when they arrive.  And in the midst of those difficult times, if I don't choose to look inside myself, dig deep, seek hope and peace, take ownership in and responsibility for my situation, and allow myself to become teachable and humbled by the events, I won't be ready to truly embrace the opportunities that lie ahead.  Much like this quote mentions, I won't allow the resurgence to happen unless I allow the necessary steps to take place.  

My desire is that this quote brings you HOPE...in the midst of these cold days of January...as we patiently wait for SPRING to arrive.  At just the right time.  

************

"There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens:

a time to be born and a time to die,

a time to plant and a time to uproot,

a time to kill and a time to heal,

a time to tear down and a time to build,

a time to weep and a time to laugh,

a time to mourn and a time to dance,

a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,

a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,

a time to search and a time to give up,

a time to keep and a time to throw away,

a time to tear and a time to mend,

a time to be silent and a time to speak,

a time to love and a time to hate,

a time for war and a time for peace."       

Ecclesiastes 3:1-7

Valentine's Day Cards

On these cold and snowy winter days...when kids are home from school...why not start working on their classroom Valentine's Day cards now?  

Here are some fun ideas for you to use or to inspire you...Click on each image for step-by-step or video instructions.  

[1] "I mustache you a question" - with FREE printable tags!



[2] Mason Jars - with FREE printable template!



[3] Friendship Bracelets - with FREE printable template!



[4] Finger Light Valentines - this template costs just $2.00!



[5] Magnifying Glass Valentines - this template costs just $2.00!



[6] Mini Notebook



[7] I'm your biggest fan! - Click on image for VIDEO instructions.



[8] It's o-FISH-al, you're the best kid ever! - Tag can be downloaded here.  Click on images for more Valentine cards ideas, too.



[9] Candy Robots



[10] Googly Eye Valentines - I had trouble with this download but hopefully it's fixed soon!  Such a cute idea.