He Washed My Sins Away

different seasons in life

2011-09-09T15:57:00.004-04:00

for those of you who know me, you know that i love things to be neat and everything in its own place. well, that is still true but i have also learned that there are different seasons in life where that is not as easily done or as important. (paused to help a crying baby)

this morning i was talking to my sister and she was telling me of a friend of ours that had given us both the sweetest heartfelt compliment. our friend said that we inspire her. how sweet is that!? Me...I inspire someone? Then i started thinking of all the other people who have given me so many wonderful compliments since the twins were born. I am always getting, "Wow, you must be busy!" "How do you do it all?" (pause to help a different crying baby.) "You are awesome." (pause to help 1st crying baby again.) The truth is, I don't. I can't do it all. I tried and my family and I were miserable. I have learned to let things go ~~a lot~~ a bit and that is more than okay. (pause to help both crying babies)

well after talking with Joli, I looked around my home and saw what the Lord had so graciously given me blinders to. There was is stuff everywhere. I had an overwhelming feeling to invite everyone over to see that "I don't do it all". I know that is not possible (mainly because I would then need to shower) so I decided to pick up my camera and show you all. (pause to help a crying baby that is now on my lap)

(cute photo of the babies i keep getting up to get)

I hope these photos also show our girls that we played with them more than we dusted, more than i washed the floors or laundry. i hope they remember the fun we had playing in the playroom. Remember getting to jump on the beds or play in the sink of "woty". Oh, that is my prayer for today. I pray they know that we loved them more than a clean home.

on this some note, i will say that i do believe in caring for your home and what is in it. i feel that the Lord does want you to care and respect what you have been given or you should not have it...give it to someone who needs it more. So, I am happy to say that 75% of the MESS in those pictures is cleaned up...but it was done with the help of miss gracelyn and during nap time. (pause to go get the other crying baby) The other 25% can wait. It does not have to ALL be done. (pause for crying baby...i guess they don't want me to do this)

okay...where was I. After all that crying, pooping, and vomit, I have no idea what else I wanted to say. So, I will let the pictures speak for themselves.

**photos are not edited....who has the time for that?!

stuff everywhere from this morning's photo shoot

the girls and my morning cups still in living room @ 11:00

playroom

this is how gracelyn faith gets on the counter

one unmade bed

second unmade bed

my closet

the soon to be redone (for the 100th time) nursery

hannah rose and elisabeth hope's closet

this really is not that bad....considering we go through 12 bottles a day (6 each)

I do hope this post is not going to just "air our dirty home" but I hope it shows other moms and dads that for every thing there is a season. Our family is in the "messy" season and we are loving every minute! (guess what...gotta go get a baby)

ox...farah

10 in 10~~Day 2

2011-06-28T22:28:00.011-04:00

Okay, I must admit this is ~~a lot~~ a bit harder than I thought it was going to be. Each thing that I have done has caused me to do two or three additional things and made somewhat of a ~~huge~~ mess. That's not cool. But, I do feel a sense of pride in finishing what I have. Tomorrow and Thursday may not be that productive. Tomorrow Little Miss and I are going over to a friend's house who lives near a lake to have a Lake Date. Super Excited!! And on Thursday, we are going to a Mommy and Me play date. Super Excited about that too...I miss all the moms and their cuties!! I still get chills at the thought of ME getting to go to a Mommy and Me group where I am one of the mommies. Wow, our God is AWESOME!

Okay....back to my list. I have need to hurry. Gracelyn Faith is almost finished drinking her milk with her daddy and I need to eat her face. :)

The List
Blue=Day 1
Green=Day 2

~~clean silver~~ ~~not too hard
paint guest bathroom~~prepped everything...aka~take everything out and make a huge mess in guest room
redecorate bathroom~~gathered stuff together~~found more stuff :)
~~clean air vents~~~~that was easy and so needed. I bet we all will breath better now and maybe save a few dollars on the electric bill.
clean all light fixtures (yuck)
clean back and front porches
sell back porch furniture :)
clean out fireplace (yuck!!) ~~I want to rename this one DOUBLE YUCK!
get carpet clean ~~called to get this done today and they did not call me back :(~~Called again they are coming on Friday @ 11. Yay for now more Little Miss milk stains!
clean out my closet ~~Mama, do you want anything?
~~clean out front closet~~~~~~that was a job, but looks good!
~~clean out guest closet (scary!!)~~~~This was redonkulous!!!! This took up most of the day and made me go to Wal-Mart to buy a bucket to put more of Grace's clothes in that she has out grown! Tori, Little Miss King has a lot of stuff coming her way! I pray God blesses us with another one too. Grace had some cute stuff!
clean out kitchen junk cabinet (yes, we have a junk cabinet...sad, I know)
redo headboard in guest room (I have a great idea)
~~clean out bathroom cabinets~~~~not too hard...had a trash bag full of trash and a box full for the yard sale I need to have
vacuum around all baseboards ~~waiting to do after the carpet is cleaned
make signs for the garden
repaint back porch
~~wash curtains~~ ~~no more jam from Little Miss' fingers
~~change curtains around~~ ~~what a difference that made!
paint back door (it looks like some little doggies and a little girl have banged on it)
recover chair in bedroom~~kind of worked on this, but I did not like what I was using...on the hunt for some vintage looking to use.

Not as good as Day 1. I wish I could add all the other things that I did today to The List that were not on there. Like:

prepare and feed Little Miss 3 meals
prepare and feed Little Miss many snacks....LOL just proofread this and had snakes!

(homemade fruit ice pop)

cleaned kitchen from said meals and snacks
washed dishes
washed slippy cup parts
unloaded the dishwasher
washed a load of clothes
folded towels
sorted several loads
redid the laundry liner...find it, iron it and put it back on
read books with Gracelyn
had "cozy" time with Miss Grace
Played dolls...melt my heart!

(feeding baby Abby a snack)

picked up LOTS of toys
walked the dogs...Gracelyn walked Samson. Hilarious!! She loved it and did a great job.
helped water the garden
went to Wal-Mart...not my favorite place
went to Good Will....found some cool stuff :)
went to Habitat for Humanity
loaded the car to go to the dump
went to the dump and dumped
went to Sonic and shared a Lemonberry Slush with Gracelyn....YUMMO but, sugar overload for her (not me)! You all should try one. Half price everyday from 2-5. A medium is only 96 cents.
sorted stuff from the Yard Sale, moved to dining room and then moved it all to another place
talked to my sister for awhile
talked to my mom for a while
changed a little butt butt lots of times
painted the cutest little toe nails

gave Gracelyn Faith a bath
packed chicken and put it in the freezer
straighted our room
straighted Gray's room
typed this blog while watching Little House
retyped this blog three times. Blogger kept loosing it "Error". What!!!! Let me just call another REDONKULOUS! Okay...now I feel better.

Okay, I feel a little better about My List after seeing today's list with it. No wonder I am tired. It's a great tired. Grace was tired too. I stopped to eat her face and get her "cozy" in her bed with her baby Abby. She gave her paci to the dolly and made sure she was "cozy cozy"....oh, how I love her!! So now I am going to get "cozy" with my Mr. Big Love.

I hope you all are having a productive week too. I will quote Charles Ingalls (Little House on the Prairie), "God put sweat in a man's body to work". LOL...Joli, that was for you....and I guess me. I do love that show.

With Love
~Farah~

10 in 10~~Day 1

2011-06-27T16:19:00.002-04:00

So, my mom and sister said that they would come and enjoy everything once I am done. You gotta love them. Thanks, Girls! Well, here is my list after Day 1.
The List
~~clean silver~~ ~~not too hard
paint guest bathroom
redecorate bathroom~~gathered stuff together
~~clean air vents~~~~that was easy and so needed. I bet we all will breath better now and maybe save a few dollars on the electric bill.
clean all light fixtures (yuck)
clean back and front porches
sell back porch furniture :)
clean out fireplace (yuck!!) ~~I want to rename this one DOUBLE YUCK!
get carpet clean ~~called to get this done today and they did not call me back :(
clean out my closet ~~Mama, do you want anything?
~~clean out front closet~~~~~~that was a job, but looks good!
clean out guest closet (scary!!)
clean out kitchen junk cabinet (yes, we have a junk cabinet...sad, I know)
redo headboard in guest room (I have a great idea)
clean out bathroom cabinets
vacuum around all baseboards ~~waiting to do after the carpet is cleaned
make signs for the garden
repaint back porch
~~wash curtains~~ ~~no more jam from Little Miss' fingers
~~change curtains around~~ ~~what a difference that made!
paint back door (it looks like some little doggies and a little girl have banged on it)
recover chair in bedroom

Not too bad for Day 1. One thing that I forgot....most of these project require lots of work before you can do the project. So, should that count as doing more than one project? I think maybe. I also forgot that Mr. Love is working everyday for the next 10 days and I will have Little Miss all by myself. I hope she wants to be mommy's helper girl! I will keep you updated on my progress.

~Farah~

10 in 10

2011-06-26T13:02:00.001-04:00

I am going to start a 10 in 10 challenge. 10 projects in 10 days. Wish me luck. My list has some biggies on it! I think God is trying to work on my procrastination by placing this challenge on my heart. With Him, I can do it. Wait, did I just hear Him say that my mom, sister, sister in law, and nieces should come and help me. Come on girls! I need your help!

So, here goes my list:

clean silver
paint guest bathroom
redecorate bathroom
clean air vents
clean all light fixtures (yuck)
clean back and front porches
sell back porch furniture :)
clean out fireplace (yuck!!)
get carpet clean
clean out my closet
clean out front closet
clean out guest closet (scary!!)
clean out kitchen junk cabinet (yes, we have a junk cabinet...sad, I know)
redo headboard in guest room (I have a great idea)
clean out bathroom cabinets
vacuum around all baseboards
make signs for the garden
repaint back porch
wash curtains
change curtains around
paint back door (it looks like some little doggies and a little girl have banged on it)
recover chair in bedroom

Well, there we have it. Those are some huge projects and 10 of them will be done in 10 days! I am so glad that Jesus has my back! That is the only way I will get 10 done. I will keep you updated on my progress.
~Farah~

2011-03-28T09:04:00.001-04:00

Jennifer from Dear Lillie is offering an awesome give away. I LOVE her work! You should check out her blog and shop....they are having a sale right now! You won't be sorry.

Today’s favorite moment:

2011-01-30T15:22:00.003-05:00

Gracelyn licking Matt’s ice cream cone. The chocolate dripping from her little chin, her blueberry eyes has wide has they could be, and a smile on her face that could light the moon. Thank you God for opening my eyes to the “little things” in life that are so big.

This year....

2010-12-24T09:34:00.001-05:00

our tree seems different. It looks pretty much the same. Probably pretty much like yours or some one's you know. But to me, it is different. This year I am even more grateful for the "little things" about our tree.

The three member gingerbread family that I bought years ago. I waited many years to hang Gracelyn's and I pray that next year there is one more gingerbread baby to hang.

The pine cones that my mother helped me pick from her yard.
They remind me of our conversation while we were gathering each one.

The different ornaments from friends given to us over the years.

There are several special ornaments from some of my past and present students.

This one is dear to my heart. It is of our first three babies. I know that we will be reunited with them in heaven one day. I love them today as much as I did then and I always will. Life begins at conception. They were and are apart of us. I wish I had a picture of our other three to hang too. Sadly, I was not given their picture.

The candy canes remind me of what our Lord did for us. The blood He shed for you and me. They also remind me of my nephew Josiah Courage. He loves a "can cane".

I love our tree. It is simple, yet so beautiful.
It has a past. I look forward to seeing its future and what it has in store.

God Bless

Farah

Christmas With Family

2010-12-23T19:45:00.007-05:00

Over the weekend we were blessed to spend time with my side of our family. I love my family. I love that we all love each other and truly enjoy spending time together. I adore each of them and thank God for placing me in this family.

Here are a few photos from our weekend together.

Lots of little blessing excited about Christmas.

Gracelyn Faith (14 months) and Eden Joy (10 months)

My sister, Joli, her Little Miss Eden Joy, my Little Miss Gracelyn, and me

Somehow, these are the only pictures that I ended up with. I'm saddened that I did not get any of my other sweet nieces and nephews, my mom, and my sister-in-law.

She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus,

because he will save his people from their sins.

Matthew 1:21

Merry Christmas!

Farah

Fun Finds

2010-11-23T15:25:00.001-05:00

Gracelyn Faith and I have been enjoying our treasure hunting lately. These are a few of our latest finds.

This is the best before photo that I could get of this ugly $25 mirror. I had a little rover doing this when I was trying to capture all of its ugliness.

After a coat of white semi gloss paint and a little sandpaper rubbing, this is what she looks like now. She is gorgeous! I found this one that is similar in size, but not in price. Please note my photographer helper and my assistant stretching. I could not have completed this project without them. Thank you, Gracelyn and Samson.

This is a solid wood cookbook holder (or at least that is what I am using it as) that we found for a cool $5!

Another fun find of the day was this soup bowl tureen. I have priced them here for $50, but I found this beauty for $4. Go me!

Last but not least, we found these cuties for $1.50 each and the cute bird for 89 cents. The sugar and creamer set are $8 each here.

All and all I would call that a good trip to the local Goodwill. I will be back soon with some more awesome deals...we are going tomorrow! My sister says that I am turning into our mother. I take that as a huge compliment...she is a fantastic shopper.

God bless and happy hunting.
~Farah~

A Little Burger Made Just for Little Miss

2010-11-22T20:26:00.000-05:00

One night Matt and I were making hamburgers and I turned around and he had made this little yummy for Gracelyn. He even cut a bun to fit her burger. How sweet is that?!

Little Miss loved her first hamburger.
~Farah~

it's the little things

2010-10-29T20:20:00.003-04:00

a sweet note from mr. handsome

my two girlies playing together

(gracelyn faith and macy jane)

my family playing together

fresh flowers in reused jars

baking together

(hester was enjoying it too.)

(my mr. handsome)

having a bathtub with fresh running water

noodle kisses

a little voice singing me a song

a game of peek-a-boo

oh, how i love the little things in life.

Psalm 13:6

⁶ I will sing to the LORD,
for he has been good to me.

~farah~

One Day

2010-10-26T20:02:00.002-04:00

Working outside our home is so very hard for me. It is my heart's desire to stay at home with our sweet Gracelyn. One day, I know that God will answer my prayers.

These are the things I thought about today and my heart ached.

her "uh-uh" and giggles when she wakes up from a nap
her little nap hair sticking up everywhere

making her breakfast while she watches my every move
fixing her a cup of juice and hearing her excitement
playing in the middle of the floor

helping her pick out her clothes for the day
changing her little tootsomes
seeing her excitement when it is snack time
holding her in my lap while she drinks her bottle
watching her play with our fur babies
practicing our sign language

One day I will be home with her. One day I will see those precious moments every day. I pray it is one day soon.

Jeremiah 29:11
For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

We Love Shopping

2010-10-24T13:29:00.004-04:00

I love to shop and thankfully so does our Little Miss and on occasion so does Mr. Handsome.

(my new favorite store)

We enjoy looking, touching, and playing with everything. We get a few looks, but I think that is because our Little Love is so adorable and not because we are loud....or that I have a camera stuck to my face.

I hope we show others how to enjoy everything they are doing. That every day, every event is a memory in the making. They should slow down and take the time to enjoy it.

(I really LOVE this sink!)

(So did Gracelyn)

I also enjoy being inspired. I always come home with ideas of things that I can make much cheaper than if I were to buy it in the store...and it's much more fun. These beauties made my "to do" list.

I hope you take the time to enjoy the small things, the small trips, and your everyday outings too.

~Farah~

Fun With Friends

2010-10-10T10:47:00.000-04:00

How stinking cute are they?! The other day, Gracelyn and I met some friends at the park for a yummy picnic and play date.

The weather was perfect.

The smiles were heartwarming

The laughter was contagious.

The mommy talk was needed and so enjoyable.

Oh, it was a wonderful day!

~farah~

A Thankful Heart

2010-10-07T16:34:00.000-04:00

Last night while grilling out, I sat on the edge of the porch stairs and was overwhelmed with thankfulness. For on that very porch seven years ago, Matt and I sat dreaming of the day we would have a child of our own playing in our yard.

I did not notice the peeling paint, the splotches of test paints on the wall or the tissue that one of our fur babies had torn up. All those things are no longer of huge importance to me. All I could see was my precious family. All I could hear was the sweet laughter coming from Gracelyn Faith as she climbed up and down the stairs and my husband talking about his day.

Thank you, God! Thank you for blessing us so abundantly.

Proverbs 15:17

17 Better is a dinner of herbs where love is,
Than a fatted calf with hatred.

~Farah~

A Special Room Made with Love

2010-10-05T20:33:00.000-04:00

For almost eight years I dreamed of decorating a nursery for our baby. I had elaborate dreams of Pottery Barn furniture with silk drapes, monogrammed everything and a comfy over sized glider with ottoman. During my two stints of bed rest, I laid there registering for so many things. I had dreams for every detail. The sky was the limit. After all, I had waited so long to be a mommy. I thought I deserved everything and anything I wanted.

(potterybarn.com)

Shortly after we lost our second set of triplets, God opened my eyes to my worldliness. I had set my mind and heart on all the wrong things. I was so consumed with grief over our loses that I lost sight of everything that was important. Expensive furniture and over priced curtains are not what make a nursery special. The memories that were going to be made in that room would be what make it special.

Titus 2:11-13

11 For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, 12 teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, 13 looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ

So, I set out with a tight budget and a mission to create a place that our baby would love. I started out by finding our crib on Craig’s List for $100. I knew that would set the style for the room. The night we put it together was such a wonderful night. We laughed and talked for hours. That will be a day that I never forget.

My heart melts at the little precious items, all of Gracelyn's favorites, that are left in the crib each morning.

We just added some white wood blinds and some white curtains that we bought from IKEA to the windows. Matt had the best little helper to help him hang them.

(don't worry that was clean diaper)

This is Gracelyn’s cozy reading nook. I bought this rocker at an Estate Sale years ago for $20. I spray painted it black and then distressed it a little. The little table was my great grandmother's. I painted it white and added a pink knob.

The best part of the reading nook is the little person who enjoys reading in it.

This is a bookshelf that I found at a dump years ago. I knew it had potential so I begged Matt to get it for me. At the time we lived in an apartment on the second floor. I knew he loved me when he agreed to carry it up both flights of curvy stairs. After lots of sanding and repainting, I think it looks beautiful. It is referred to as the “500 pound bookshelf”. It is very heavy. After several moves, the men in my life have begged me to “dump” it again. But, I never would. I knew it would look perfect in our baby’s room someday.

One weekend mom and dad were up for a visit and mom and I were looking for inspiration for the nursery online. We found this sheep/lamb slip cover on PotteryBarn.com. I purchased it on sale for $9. At the time, we did not know if Gracelyn was going to be a boy or a girl, so I did not know what to have monogrammed on it. Therefore, I had what I did know put on it. I took a very light weight board and wrapped it in stuffing and stapled the cover on.

One afternoon I saw a sign for an estate sale and it was screaming my name. Time I walked into one of the bedrooms, I saw this beautiful dresser. It was already white and had these beautiful crystal knobs. I snatched it up for only $100.00. Once again, my sweet husband went and loaded it up for me....I love him!

Some of Gracelyn’s bibles. The little blue one was my first bible.

Everytime I go into Gracelyn Faith’s room, I fall more and more in love with her special space. I look at each thing…every detail of her room. Every item was handpicked or made with love. Each item has a story behind it.

Proverbs 24:3-4

3 Through wisdom a house is built, And by understanding it is established; 4 By knowledge the rooms are filled with all precious and pleasant riches.

There are more special parts to her room. So many precious hidden treasures that tell a story, but I will have to make a part two to this post. There is a little sweet face playing peekaboo from behind my screen that I must go eat.

~~Farah~~

Treasure Hunting

2010-10-04T10:42:00.004-04:00

One of my favorite things to do is shop. I love it! It is such a relaxing, exhilarating, peaceful exercise for my body and mind. And the best part of all is my Little Sweet Cheeks loves to shop too!

(Making sure she had her purse for all the things she wanted to buy. )

We love to go to the Thrift Store and find all the hidden treasures that other people gave away. The other day, Gracelyn and I set out on a hunt and look what we found.

It is gorgeous, solid and just needed a little love. So, we snatched it up for $5.00 and brought it home for a little TLC. After giving it a good wash down, I recovered the seat with some fabric that I had left over from our curtains. I think it looks awesome.

Yesterday, I found the cutest little mirror. It was screaming at me to please help her look cute again. Poor thing was a hideous brownish gold color. I felt sorry for her, so I bought her for $2.00 and gave her a new ballerina pink coat. She thanked me by sitting oh so pretty on Gracelyn’s shelf.

Don’t be afraid of your local TS. Go on a hunt and see what you can find. I think I might just ask Gracelyn if she would like to go hunting again today after nap....I'm sure she will say yeah.

Happy Hunting!
~Farah~

Little Miss Turns One

2010-10-02T11:00:00.012-04:00

Dear Sweet Gracelyn Faith,

You turned one on Thursday, September 30 at 8:38 am. I cannot believe it has been a year since God blessed us with you. You are an answered prayer. A gift. A blessing that is unexplainable. My love for you is indescribable.

Over the weekend we celebrated your life with a Cupcake & Ice Cream Parlor Party. Many of your family members and friends joined us as we gave God the glory for your sweet life and choosing us to be your mommy and daddy.

Planning and decorating for your party was such a gift. Planning, making, and preparing each detail was such a joy. To me, God is in the details. I pray that you always see and appreciate the little details, their beauties, in people and this world.

Your ice cream cone cupckaes were a hit. Your cousins Josiah and Tyson loved them.

A "sweet" party was so fitting for you.

There was a lot of pink used at your party.

I made a slideshow to play during the party. It was such a fun way to show your first year.

I made your birthday banner out of burlap...super easy and fun. You got very excited when you saw it. I left it up for several days after your party for you to enjoy.

You loved your strawberry cake with strawberry icing.

You helped me make your cake the day before your party. You loved getting your first lick of icing and cake..

Gracelyn, you are so loved by so many people. We all thank God for you.

Your contagious laugh and a smile light up a room.

It is so difficult to try and sum up a year into words when there are no words to express how wonderful it has been. Our lives are so fulfilled and overflowing with laughter and love. Gracelyn, you bring a joy to us that we never thought we would have. You are so loved. You are so treasured. And we are so thankful for you.

Each night I go into your room while you are sleeping and say a prayer thanking God for giving me another day with you. Each day has been such a gift. One that I look forward to every morning. Thank you, Gracelyn for loving me unconditionally.

May God bless you with many more healthy years.
Mommy

…But a child left to himself brings shame to his mother. Proverbs 29:15

2010-08-30T19:42:00.001-04:00

in a matter of seconds our little miss can do something like this. i am just thankful my coffee did not spill.

a family that rides together, stays together

2010-07-15T10:11:00.005-04:00

Over the summer, I took Gracelyn to the beach and met our family at an amusement park to celebrate Father's Day with our dad. The only downer was that Matt was not able to go with us. He had to work that day so he could take off Sunday for church and his first Father’s Day….that made it totally worth it!

It was so nice to have my brother’s family, my sister’s family, my parents, and Little Miss all together. We all had such a wonderful time riding the rides…adults included.

My niece, Farah Elisabeth, was terribly upset that she was not tall enough to ride the Pirate Ship. Lucky for her, and us, they had a "big girl" Pirate Ship that was just the right size.

I started feeling a little sad for my thrill seeker, Gracelyn. I knew that she would love to ride too. The only requirement to ride the little ship was that you had to be wearing shoes. Of course this was the one day that I did not have shoes on Gracelyn. Farah Elisabeth, who is three, graciously allowed Little Miss (who still wears a size 2 at eight months old) to wear her shoes so that she could ride…I guess she knew the pain of not getting to ride. The ride attendant just smiled and laughed at us when we sat down and the shoes plopped off.

I pray that you are enjoying family time as much as we are.

ox,

farah

Lovable Losers

2010-07-14T10:07:00.001-04:00

On July 4th, Matt and I, along with his dad and step mom, took Gracelyn Faith to another Cubs game. Even though they lost, we had a wonderful time and made lots of great memories. Gracelyn is two for two with Cubs games...gotta love the lavable losers.

Hope you all are making wonderful summer memories too.

ox,

farah

Family Fun

2010-07-13T09:19:00.008-04:00

While on summer break, I was blessed with a quick trip to visit my sister and her wonderful family down in Charleston. I adore my nieces and nephews, sister, and brother-in-law. While there, I helped Joli redo her dining room and living room. We should have taken before and after pictures. Everything turned out amazing. We had such a wonderful time despite five of the kids getting a stomach virus and fears.

josiah courage--1 year 6 months

enden joy 4 months

swimming with her cousins

I hope you all are staying healthy and enjoying this beautiful summer.

ox,
farah

Growing While I'm Working

2010-07-12T21:18:00.001-04:00

I went back to work today. Little Miss looked like she grew while I was gone. Her hair looked longer tonight. She talked more…I guess she was trying to tell me about her day. It made me sad that I’d missed it all. I’m so thankful that Ms. Amy, our nanny, loves on her for me while I have to work. I couldn’t do it if not for her. She is sleeping now and I miss her…physically miss her—my heart hurts. I wish I could go and hug her one more time for the night.

I pray that tomorrow is a little easier.

ox,

farah

Our Little Beach Girl

2010-06-19T08:51:00.006-04:00

May 29, 2010 was Gracelyn Faith's first trip to the beach. We took a day trip with my parents, my brother, his wife and their son, Tyson. Gracelyn absolutely loved the sand and water. She is definitely an outside girl.

I look forward to many more relaxing days at the beach.

God Bless~ Farah

A Tag:)

2010-06-18T22:04:00.005-04:00

My sweet niece, Peyton tagged me on her blog http://purplepeytons.blogspot.com/. So this is for her. I love you, Pey!

First the rules are: Please tag five people and do not tag the one who tagged you. And if you would not like to answer a certain question, simply change it to one you like and answer that.

#1-What song are you currently listening to a lot? All The Way My Saviour by Chris Tomlin~~from Peyton's blog. I love this song!

#2- What books are you currently reading? The Bible

#3-Do you sing a lot? kind of ---I am horrible.

#4-Sweet or salty?Sweet for sure!

#5-What is your favorite hobby? photograph and making baby food

#6-What books have you read at least 3 times? sad to say, but none.

#7-What sites do you always visit when you get on the Internet? My Blogger, facebook, and many other blogs.

#8-What was the last things you bought? groceries~~3 cases and 1 jug of Lipton Green Tea Citrus diet...my new favorite drink.

#9-Which fictional character do you think you are most like? During this season of life, I would have to say The Little Red Hen.

#10-Favorite earliest memory? Joli and I riding our bikes when we were about 7. I remember trying to get up a hill but my training wheels would not make it.

#11-What do you do to change your mood? pray

#12-What was the last meal you ate? chicken, seasoned potatoes, steamed carrots, and corn.

#13-Do you want to learn another language? I would love to speak Spanish and Vietnamese...I would love to know what the pedicure person is saying about my ~~nasty~~ beautiful feet.

#14-Five things you can’t live without?1. My bible, 2. my family,3. my dogs, 4. food, 5. coffee!

#15- Find the closest book to you, and flip to page 54.what is the first sentence in the 2nd paragraph? This is from my journal~~Don't be afraid, because you will not be ashamed. Don"t be embarrassed, because you will not be disgraced. Isaiah 54:4

#16-What is something you would like to say right now? Praise God be the glory!

# 17- What are your five favorite animals? #1. dogs 2 birds, 3 rabbits, 4 horses 5. cats (cats would be #2 if I were not allergic.)

# 18- Whats your favorite color? I change all the time. Right now it is white. I love its pureness.

#19- If you could live in a book which one would you live in? This a tough one. I have no idea.

# 20- What is your favorite sport? I am not really into any sports unless my nieces and nephews are playing. I do enjoy going to Cubs and Bears games with my hubby.

And now I tag 5 people~ Hunter, Joli and Sean, Tori, Tara and Kim

God Bless~Farah

Thank you, God for Gracelyn's Powerful Healthy Lungs

2010-06-17T22:40:00.002-04:00

Yesterday Gracelyn and I went on an impromptu trip to Target. Gracelyn was one loud chick the whole time. One lady who worked there came up to us and said “Girl, is that you making all the noise? When you become an opera singer you better come back and see me!” I think that was a very nice way of saying “Girl, you are too loud!” and “Lady, can’t you get her to stop!”

One more thing about our trip---
Picture it-a very packed card section in Target. Gracelyn Faith & I squeezing our way in to find the perfect cards for her daddy and granddaddies. That's when it all happened. Gracelyn started ~~screaming~~ singing at the top of her powerful lungs. Then she proceeded to rip cards off the stands and try to eat them. Of course being my daughter, she only grabbed the expensive musical ones that cost about $7.00 each. It was obvious that everyone wanted us to leave. There were no smiles, no one saying "aww, she is precious" or even "oh my, she is loud". I felt like I had taken her to the library. I had no idea the card section was such a serious area. So what did I do, I started laughing and gave her a huge loud kiss. I told her to sing because if it was not for her, I would not have been buying the “Daddy’s Princess” card. Gracelyn was the only one that found that funny. That just made both of us laugh even more. I guess after praying for eight year to have her, a little screaming sounds good.

To all you moms, please see the joy in your loud sweet baby. God has blessed us with a precious gift and we should enjoy every minute of each day.

ox-Farah

Spring Has Sprung

2010-05-05T21:15:00.001-04:00

A few weekends ago, our town had its annual Spring Festival. We decided to take Little Miss and enjoy the beautiful weather, glorious flowers, eat fatty booth food, and see some awesome friends.

It was such a beautiful day and we had a great time. Gracelyn loved seeing and picking all the flowers. All she wanted to do was eat them. I found a beautiful handmade wooden G for Gracelyn's room. I have no where to hang it, but I am sure I will find a spot.

Well, that is all for tonight. I must get to bed earlier...5:15 comes very early. I pray you all have a blessed night.~~Farah

Go Cubs, GO!

2010-05-04T21:49:00.005-04:00

Over my spring break, Matt and I took Gracelyn Faith to her first Chicago Cubs game on Opening Day at Turner Field. It was an awesome, very hot, exciting day.

Gracelyn seemed to really enjoy the game. I thought she would since she is such a “watcher”. She sat on my lap and checked everything out for most of the game.

Gracelyn got as red as a lobster at one point so I just did what any sane mother would do…put her into the sink! After excusing ourselves to the front of the extremely long bathroom line, I quickly plopped my lobster baby in the nasty sink. Little Miss slashed a bit, I put wet napkins on her head and neck, people stared and whispered and then …she was back to her peachy self. That is what you call parenting at its best!

We are planning a trip to Chicago in July and plan to take Gracelyn to a home game while we’re there....shhhh, don't tell Matt's mom. It's a surprise! A Cubs game at Wriggle Field was one of our first dates when Matt took me to meet his family for the first time....aww, the memories. As you may recall, Matt wanted to name Gracelyn-- Wriggle at one point. I am glad I did not give in on that one.

Well, that's all for now. I hope all is fantastic in your world.

God Bless~~~Farah

A Very Special Gift

2010-04-28T21:51:00.001-04:00

I am a little late with this post, but I wanted to make sure that I posted about a very special day for our Little Miss Gracelyn. For Easter, her Great Grandmother Joyce sent her a package in the mail. Gracelyn was so excited that she wasted no time and started eating her way into it. She was just too cute that I had to grab my camera.

Great Grandma Joyce sent her this adorable hat and the sweetest card. Gracelyn Faith looked so adorable. My heart is overwhelmed at the thought of her shopping for our sweet girl and sending her such a loving gift.

God Bless~Farah

Check It Out

2010-04-01T14:17:00.000-04:00

I just found another awesome give away! You should head over to Dreamy Whites blog and enter Maria's give-away. She's giving away a gorgeous duvet cover by Annette Tatum, author of The Well Dressed Home.

I chose the Pirouette Spring. It will look fantastic in our guest room. Wish me luck!

Pretties and Posies Giveaway!

2010-04-01T07:22:00.000-04:00

Melanie over at Pretties and Posies is having an awesome giveaway! She is an artist and painted the most beautiful painting. I entered and pray that I win. Her beautiful painting would be perfect for Gracelyn Faith's room.

Click on her blog to check it out! Say a prayer that Gracelyn and I win. I know that Gracely will love this in her room.

2010-03-31T21:26:00.004-04:00

God is Mighty to save and perfectly faithful.

Six Fast Precious Months

2010-03-30T19:21:00.004-04:00

Six month ago our lives changed forever. Little Miss Gracelyn Faith was born on September 30 at 8:38 am. She was a whopping 7 pounds and 5 ounces and 20 inches long. Today our precious girl is six month old and weighs 14 pounds and is 25 inches long. There are no words to explain how much we love our Itty Bitty.
Gracelyn, you were so worth the long wait. We love you!

Thank you, God!

2010-03-29T22:31:00.002-04:00

Thank you, God for our sweet Gracelyn. Thank you, God for choosing us to raise her in your name. Thank you, God for choosing her for us. Thank you, God for being so faithful. Thank you, God for Alex. Thank you, God for never giving up on me. Thank you, God for loving me even when I did not love myself. Thank you, God for my husband that loves me so. Thank you, God for a husband that loves you. Thank you, God for a husband that puts you first. Thank you, God for my family. Thank you, God for saying no to so many of my prayers. Thank you, God for always knowing what’s best for me. Thank you, God for always standing by me and guiding me. Thank you, God for my friends. Thank you, God for your grace. Thank you, God for my health. Thank you, God! Thank you, God! Thank you, God!

Butternut squash is oh so good!

2010-03-28T21:30:00.003-04:00

Dear Gracelyn,

2010-03-26T21:55:00.007-04:00

I just read the most beautiful post by Erin from Rare & Beautiful Treasures. She wrote a heartfelt post to her newborn son. Her sweet words have inspired me to write Gracelyn Faith a letter to tell her about our long journey to her. I want to tell her how badly we wanted her. Tell her of the countless prayers that were prayed for her…just her. How our hearts longed to hold and kiss her. Oh how we ached for her for so very long. But most importantly, I want to tell her how grateful we are to God for making her for us. Please pray that God gives me just the right words to write.

God Bless!
Farah

Happiness in the Small Stuff

2010-02-08T21:45:00.005-05:00

Here are a few of the small blessings that I really enjoy and value. Life is about the small blessings in our everyday life. It’s up to us to stop, see and appreciate them for what they are….true blessings.
1. A kiss that comes out of no where
2. A smile from Itty Bitty like I just hung the moon

3. A fire in the fireplace
4. The smell of coffee
5. the taste of coffee
6. an afternoon nap

7. no traffic when you are running late
8. the way Matt smells after he shaves
9. Clean cold sheets
10. Goodnight kisses
11. Back rubs
12. Throwing my arms back and taking a deep breath. I call it “Sucking in the day.”
13. The way carpet feels and looks after you vacuumed
14. The sound of the birds outside my classroom door
15. Love notes like “just hit brew”
16. Not having to get gas for the car
17. The way my dogs love me no matter what

18. Being able to see all the beautiful colors God made
19. A cold can coke
20. Getting in a bed that was made up
21. A hot shower with a new bar of soap
22. Clear fingernail polish
23. The smell of vanilla
24. A decorating magazine
25. Getting a magazine in the mail
26. Netflix
27. Bananas
28. A food jar filled with flowers

29. High speed wireless internet
30. Still getting to watch Little House on the Prairie everyday
31. Apple butter on warm toast
32. A good writing pen
33. Getting to talk with my family on Skype
34. DVR
35. Floss picks
36. Starter logs for the fireplace
37. Hersey’s Carmel coffee creamer
38. Tomatoes sandwiches with lots of salt and pepper
39. Sweet tea
40. A curling iron that heats in about 20 seconds
41. A remote control
42. Walks on a warm spring/fall day with my family

43. Finding different ways to be crafty and frugal
44. Chocolate
45. An ice cream cone

I could go on and on. I would love to hear some of the small things that you’re grateful for.

God bless,
Farah

Itty Bitty is a Big Girl

2010-02-06T09:36:00.002-05:00

It is so hard to believe that Gracelyn Faith turned four months old on the 30th. Without sounding like I’m bragging, even though I am, I must say she is such a smarty. She is very inquisitive and observant and wants to check everything out to see what it is. It is so true what people say about seeing things in a new way. Watching her stare at things with such amazement really does make you look at them in a different light too. Who knew the remote could look so interesting.

She found her feet last week and is totally enjoying them. They are in her mouth most of the time. Being that she is an Itty Bitty, every time she grabs her foot she grabs her clothes that are about two inches too long for her. It is just the cutest thing to watch her wonder where in the world her foot went. I should probably give her a pedicure so her toes are at least a little cleaner when she sucks on them.

I am very proud to announce that Gracelyn Faith is officially in her basinet and sleeping through the night. Go, Gracelyn!! Go, us!! She has slept through the night since about 5 weeks old, but it was only when she was swinging away in her swing. We didn’t think she would ever get out of that swing. I was starting to wonder if she would be taking it to college. Boy did we get use out of that gift! At three months old, we transitioned her to the basinet and she has done so well. It only took her a few nights to realize how great it was to stretch out. We can now just lay her down wide awake and she will fall asleep on her on. It is WONDERFUL!! In the next few weeks I hope to transition her to her crib.

Gracelyn loves to pull the covers over her head when she is going to sleep and sleeping. It makes me crazy and if I were to let the Devil win, it would put pure fear into me. I have decided to stand firm and let God protect her and her breathing. I must admit, it is cute to watch her rub her blankets on her face.

I hope you all have a blessed day!
Farah

Sweet Baby Girl and Her Mommy

2010-02-05T22:26:00.002-05:00

Please keep my dear sister and her unborn baby girl in your prayers. She is having complications that are very serious to both her and baby. She will be 35 weeks tomorrow. I thank you for any and all prayers for Joli and little baby girl. This is a photo that I took of her and baby a few weeks ago.

God Bless,
Farah

Itty Bitty

2010-01-24T19:46:00.009-05:00

On Tuesday, we had to take Gracelyn Faith to the doctor. Our sweet love has an ear infection in her right ear. While we were there, the nurse weighted her. Gracelyn weighs 12 pounds and 10 ounces and is 24 inches tall. I can't believe our little girl is getting so big. Well, not really. She is 25% for weight and 50% for height. She is really an itty bitty, but to me it seems like she is getting so big.

Here is a picture of our itty bitty. This picture was taken today after church...right before nap, so it was not the best time to try and take photos. She is wearing a dress and hat that my sister, Joli, and I found at a second hand store in Charleston for $8. Charleston has the best second hand stores.

Well, I need to get ready for the week. God bless!
Farah

Gracelyn Faith

2010-01-03T19:03:00.006-05:00

Okay, Matt has Gracelyn Faith so I have a few minutes to update about everything that has been going on the last few days. It has been busy. My in-laws left, we took the Christmas decorations down, I cleaned most of the house, changed a lot of diapers, nursed a sick husband and I started an online business…well, in the process of doing it.

Well, on to more info on my new business adventures. Being the brain dead mom that I have become, I could not think of a cool, yet pretty, yet sweet name for my new business. I wanted a name that was about Gracelyn Faith…being that she is my inspiration and all. Well, I asked my ever so wise sister and she nailed it on her first try. Gracelyn Faith. No, not my little girl, it’s the name for my shop. What prettier name is there?! None! So that is the name. It couldn’t be sweeter, cooler, or prettier. It is kind of like Vera Bradley or Michaels.

At Gracelyn Faith, I will be selling heartfelt and love filled handmade items that are completely inspired around our Gracelyn Faith. I will have items that I have made for her or am making for other people. I am so excited! I will be sure to post a link when I have everything up and running.

Gracelyn and I went shopping yesterday for items that we needed for all our upcoming crafting. We had the best time. I am so grateful that she loves to shop. After visiting my new favorite store, Hobby Lobby, (I have been there 3 times in 4 days and it is 45 minutes away) we went to have a delicious lunch at my favorite coffee place. It is a little place called Starbucks….ever heard of it? Gracelyn had yummy Similac Organic milk and I had a humongous Mocha Frap with sugar free caramel and a bacon sandwich.

Gracelyn has started this new thing of playing with her food. She likes to stick her tongue out and roll it around the nipple of her bottle. It is rather cute and funny so you can’t help but laugh at her. This of course makes her do it even more. Then, she starts laughing and her milk goes everywhere. Well, Gracelyn was doing this in the busy jam-packed smallest Starbucks ever and of course I laughed at her and had to take so pictures. This went on for a few minutes and when I looked up, I noticed the we had an audience watching us. I just smiled because I knew they could not help but look at my too cute baby girl. That was such a cool new feeling!

Well, Matt just came and handed me Little Miss. He has to get the money ready of the pizza guy. Pizza---yum! We better enjoy it…diets start in the morning!

God Bless!
Farah

Loving Life

2009-12-30T21:28:00.007-05:00

This has been the best Christmas. I have enjoyed every party, meal, laugh, conversation and minute that I have had to spend with my friends and family.

Christmas morning was the best. At about 5 am, Matt woke me up and asked if I was ready to open presents. He said that Gracelyn was awake and ready, but when I looked over at her she was sound asleep. I could see the excitement in his eyes so I could not resist. He looked like a five year old that had been waiting for hours. So after waking our soundly sleeping 12 weeks old, we quickly made our way to the tree. We spent several hours just taking in every minute of everything...the dogs enjoying their new bones, Gracelyn's sweet morning giggles, and reading the bible with her.

After presents, we headed to the kitchen to make a delicious breakfast. We had yummy frittatas with sausage and potatoes. As Matt cooked, I called our families on Skype to share in their mornings. I love Skype. It was so wonderful getting to see all their faces even though they are so far away. The best part was seeing the kids (Joli and Sean's blessings) faces and hearing about all the new gifts.

The Sunday after Christmas, we headed to my grandma's house. It was the first time Mama Pat got to see Gracelyn Faith. I could see the joy and love in her eyes when she got to hold her the first time. It was a moment that I had dreamed of for almost eight years.

On Monday, my wonderful in-laws arrived from Illinois and have been staying with us. I love having them here. I am so blessed to have married into a loving family. I loved them from the moment that I meet them, but my love has grown in a new way since seeing them love our precious baby girl. They are so sweet with her and love her so much.

Peggy (my mother in-law), Gracelyn and I had a girls shopping day today. It was so nice and relaxing. We were on a hunt for craft materials for me to make a few things for Gracelyn. If all goes well with hers, I hope to sell them. I have been praying for God to tell me a way to make some extra money or better yet, allow me to stay home with her. I guess I will have to wait and see if this was His answer.

Well, my Little Miss is finished eating and I need to put her to bed...or swing.
God Bless!

It's Starting to Feel A Lot Like Christmas

2009-12-24T12:43:00.004-05:00

I would like to start by apologizing if I ramble and jump all over with my thoughts. I guess that is the “stage” of mommy hood that I am in right now. My brain is all over the place, but I want to get my thoughts down before I forget them. So here goes…I hope you can make sense of my spastic thoughts.

It’s our first Christmas with our Little Miss and we could not be more excited. There seems to be a new long awaited peace in our home this year. We have dreamed about this Christmas for the past eight years….I just got a little chocked up typing that. Thank you, God for your precious son and your precious daughter that you have trusted us to raise!

For the most part, the house is decorated and the tree is trimmed. I still do not have all the decorations up, but I really don’t care. It is amazing how my priorities have changed since Gracelyn’s birth. In years past, I had to have everything completed in a day—two tops. Now, here it is Christmas Eve and I still have a pile of decorations at the front door for our front porch and gifts in the middle of the floor unwrapped. Oh well, I don’t care and thank goodness Matt doesn't either.

This year I am all about starting new traditions as a family. I want there to be special little things that Gracelyn looks forward to each year. Little things like making handmade ornaments together. Gracelyn and I made ornaments for the tree using cranberries a few weeks ago. They look and smell great. I made them last year, but it was so wonderful to have her to make them with me this year. I look forward to many years to come of us making things together. We made some for a wreath in the dining room, but it only got half way done. As a family, we are also going to bake Jesus a birthday cake. I will talk more about that below. If anyone has a family tradition that your family enjoys, please share it with me.

Matt and I bought Gracelyn a very pink Christmas tree for her room. We decorated it was words of encouragement and little wooden blocks that her Mama Donna made her. It is so cute and I know that in a couple years she will love it.

Being that Gracelyn Faith is only 12 weeks old, she cannot open her gifts. Some wise person, I don’t remember who, suggested that I buy her some things and Matt buy her some things and then we open each others. We thought that was just the coolest idea so that is what we are doing. I cannot wait to see what Matt picked out for her. The thought of him shopping for our little girl warms my heart with such love and joy.

A couple days ago, Gracelyn and I went shopping for a few last minute gifts for her and Matt. We had the best time. She is such a wonderful shopper….thank you, God! I can’t say what I bought yet…Matt may read this today. But, tomorrow I will post lots of pictures of Gracelyn’s gifts that she receives on her first Christmas. I sure do hope she like what I picked out. While we were shopping, we had to take a “bottle” break so we joined her daddy at work for lunch. It was a nice relaxing lunch and Gracelyn even left her daddy a “gift” all over his shirt when we left.

I can’t wait to start all our celebrations. Tonight we are going to a Christmas service at church. We can wait to have fellowship with our church family and praise God for sending His son for us. Tomorrow we are going to celebrate Jesus’ birthday with a birthday cake. Gracelyn and I went to the grocery store yesterday to buy the items needed to make His cake. I really wanted to make a red velvet cake. I thought that would be fitting to symbolize the blood Jesus shed for us and red also symbolizes new begins and birth…thanks, Joli, for telling me that part. Well after searching in a busy grocery store two days before Christmas, I am told they were out of red velvet cake mix. I was so disappointed. I ended up getting strawberry. I figured that was almost red. Jesus knows I tried so I am sure He will like the strawberry just the same.

Well, nap time is almost over, so I will stop rambling for now. I would love to wish you all a very Merry Christmas. I pray that you all remember the true meaning of Christmas and invite Jesus to your celebrations, into your home and into your heart.

God Bless!

10 Things I Love About Gracelyn Faith

2009-12-21T22:01:00.009-05:00

I just read a blog that my sister wrote about 10 things she loved. I thought it was such a cute ides that I wanted to do one too. So her goes...

10 Things I Love About Gracelyn Faith

1. The way she looks into my eyes with complete love and acceptance.
2. I love the way she laughs and giggles when she wakes up. She is such a happy baby!
3. The way she holds my finger while she is eating.
4. I love how she sticks her little butt out when I pick her up.
5. The way she smells after a bubble bath.
6. Her little lizard tongue. She loves to stick it out! I added a photo so you can see just how cute she is when she does it.
7. I love how she smiles at me when I am talking with her. Yes, she does "talk"back. We have had some great conversations.
8. I love that she is such a wonderful traveler. She has only cried once in the car.
9. That she is a daddy’s girl. It warms my heart to watch them together.
10. How she loves to “sing” with me. She loves music. Her favorite is “Jesus Loves Gracelyn”

The Start of a New Adventure

2009-12-21T21:25:00.002-05:00

Well, it took my sweet and intelligent nephew, Hunter, to help me finally start this long awaited blog. It is something that I have thought about doing for a few years now, but just never took the time to do it. My life is busier and crazier than ever, but I figured that I would give it a try. Thank you, Hunter for helping me. I know that I will be thankful for all the wonderful memories that I am able to save for Gracelyn to read about one day.