happy memorial day

"Four things support the world:
the learning of the wise, the justice of the great,
the prayers of the good, and the valor of the brave."
~Muhammad~

Wishing you a safe and happy Memorial Day...

p.s. and in case you have forgotten,
you have until midnight tonight to enter my wildflower {wednesday} giveaway...
you can enter here.

grace & hope {for children}

For the past while, I have been blessed with the opportunity to work with Cindy, a volunteer, at Grace & Hope for Children. She is just a delightful person and most certainly has a great big heart for the orphans in China! Together, we have designed three necklaces that will benefit this organization and the work they do in China. I will donate ten percent of the sales back to Grace & Hope.

The mission of Grace and Hope for Children is to be an agent of God's grace in the lives of Chinese orphans. By recruiting and training foster families in China and by raising financial support for these families, they strive to get eligible children out of orphanages and into loving foster families. Their work beyond foster care focuses on fulfilling the needs of the children. As they build and maintain relationships with families in China, the United States, and around the world they seek to share the love of Jesus Christ as they endeavor to follow Him.

To read more, you can visit their site here.

Each of these new necklaces is listed under the {adoption} and {charity} links.

{grace & hope}

{grace and hope~double}

{grace and hope~single}

Also, if you haven't entered my wildflower {wednesday} giveaway this week,
now would be a great time!

The winner this week will be given a wheat and {wildflower} gift certificate.
Good towards any purchase.

These new designs for Grace & Hope for Children...
were just posted today :)

You can enter here.

wildflower {wednesday}

Wednes·day (wenz′dā; occas., -dē) noun--the fourth day of the week

Now if that's not reason to celebrate,
I don't know what is :)

You know, with the end of the school year
just a couple days away...

and the whole
entire
glorious
summer
(all thirteen weeks)
just around the corner.

So to celebrate this very special Wednesday,
I'm offering a $25 dollar gift certificate to my store.
Good towards any purchase...

Today...
to be entered in my wildflower {wednesday} giveaway.

Leave me a comment.

Tell me your favorite anything about summer.

The first twenty people to comment will receive an extra entry.

C'mon, tell your friends to stop by for a visit.

And to say hello.

As always,
Followers-one extra entry
Copy my button to your blog-another extra entry
Blog or facebook about this giveaway-another extra entry

That's five possible entries.

Entries will be accepted until Monday, May 31st at midnight MST.

A winner will be randomly drawn and announced on Tuesday!

Good luck.

And if you've won before, that's ok.

Enter again!

Also, because many of you have asked,
the following items have been added to my store
and are now available for purchase.

As a side note,
thank you kindly for looking past
the varying colors of wheat
in these side by side pictures.

Yes, it bothers me...

a lot ;)

photo editor,
here I come...

Also,
an exciting announcement very soon.
I promise.

wildflower {wednesday} winner

The winner of this week's wildflower {wednesday} is...

~Brooke~

She wrote:

"I teach first grade, so my favorite school story is actually about a lesson I taught. I was teaching a lesson on time and clocks and I asked my kids, "Does anyone know what a 'quarter past' means?" One little boy raised his hand, oooing and ahhing, waving it through the air. "Do you know?" I asked him. "Yes ma'am!" he replied while jumping to his feet. Pretending like he had a football throwing it down the field he nearly screamed, "IT'S WHEN THE QUARTER BACK GETS THE BALL, RUNS BACKWARDS, AND THEN THROWS IT LIKE THIS!!!" All I could say, was "yes, baby. You're exactly right! But did you know a clock also has a 'quarter past?' HILARIOUS!! "

Congratulations Brooke!
(I think it's so fun that a teacher won!)

Whoo! Hoot!

Send me an email with your address
and I'll get the goods in the mail.

Also, don't forget to tell me which necklace you'd like.
Although, I think I already know ;)

...on our {minds}

The countdown has begun.
For da boys.
And I think, especially for me.
Today is our last Monday of the school year.

We finished up the last big project yesterday.

Let's just say...
we ended with a bang :)

Shakespeare has a way of doing that.
If ya know what I mean.

We also ventured out for the "official" senior pics this weekend.
My very talented sis captured the one above.
It's one of my favorites.
Even if it's not hers :)

Today is not her last Monday of the year.
She'd want y'all to know that.

Graduation is still...
10 days away.

Soon enough, I say.
Soon enough :)

Remember...today is the last day to enter my wildflower {wednesday} giveaway.

You have until midnight tonight.

You can enter here.

a million {bucks}

There was a time in my life
when things were a bit simpler.

A time I could go to the boy's section of a department store
and buy three t-shirts in three sizes.
Small.
Medium.
Large.
For each of my three boys.

Yes, I do have boys.
Basketball crazed boys
who never stop.
And pretty much make me laugh every. single. day.

One of their least favorite activities though
is having their picture taken.

Unless,
of course,
it is to capture a sweet new move on the court.

~or~

to show off a smile.
Without braces.

Then, there might be time to stop
and pose for a picture.

When 'small boy' went to school the next day,
his teacher had him stand in front of the class
and announced...

"Now that's a million dollar smile."

I wish I'd been there to see it ;)

I just love teachers like that!

And just so ya know,
This boy hasn't sneezed in over two weeks.

It has caused some concern.
For him.

Oh my :)

wildflower {wednesday}

"It takes courage to grow up and become who you really are."
~e.e. cummings~

Anyone know a soon-to-be graduate?

I do.

I know it sounds cliche'.
But honestly,
I'm quite certain
it was just yesterday
I walked her to kindergarten.

And choked back a tear or two
as I dug in my heels
and literally pulled her through those kindergarten doors.

We did that
every day.

For six months.

Luckily, for me,
I don't have to do that anymore.
At least not every day.

just kidding :)

She graduates soon.
Two weeks from today
to be exact.

With near perfect grades.

And and hard as I try,
I know I'll be biting my lip
and choking back a few tears then too.

This girl has plans.
And goals.
And dreams.

She knows where she's headed.

I'm proud of her,
her courage,
and the person she's becoming.

So this wildflower {wednesday} celebrates graduates
and all of that!

Don't know a grad, you say?

Well, a teacher you most certainly do...

...a teacher deserving of a big 'ol thank you!

So this week,
take your choice.

become.
personalized with the graduate's school colors

~OR~

inspire.teach.believe.
a perfect end-of-the-year teacher gift

So, today.
To be entered in my wildflower {wednesday} giveaway.

Leave me a comment.

Tell me a favorite memory of your school days.

It can be anything.

A favorite teacher...
A favorite subject...
A favorite science fair project~that's for my sisters :)
Favorite school lunch...
The most important lesson you learned...
Anything,
as long as it's about school.

The first twenty people to comment will receive an extra entry.

C'mon, tell your friends to stop by for a visit.

And to say hello.

As always,
Followers-one extra entry
Copy my button to your blog-another extra entry
Blog or facebook about this giveaway-another extra entry

That's five possible entries.

Entries will be accepted until Monday, May 24th at midnight MST.

A winner will be randomly drawn and announced on Tuesday!

Good luck.

And if you've won before, that's ok.

Enter again!

have you {heard}?

The winner of this week's wildflower {wednesday}
is..

~Mandie~

She wrote:

"What makes my life more beautiful is my family,
my wonderful husband that loves us all
and my crazy kids that find laughter and delight in everything.
I would be lost without all of them."

Congratulations, Mandie!

Send me an email with your address
and I'll get your necklace in the mail right away!

Also...

A great BIG thank you to Carrie
who organized and hosted
my wildflower {wednesday} giveaway this week!
It was lots of fun...
Let's do it again sometime ;)

Guess what?
Tomorrow is Wednesday.

I can't wait!

she might {just} be

Can you see it?

Two eyes.

A nose.

And a crooked little mouth.

Looks a bit like Popeye.

But nevertheless...

her very, very first "face".

Enough to make a mama proud ;)

Never know.

She might just be an artist someday.

Happy Monday!

p.s.
Don't forget...
Monday is the last day
to enter my wildflower wednesday giveaway.
You have until midnight MST.


All you have to do is tell me someone or something
that makes your life more beautiful.
Enter by leaving your comment here.

It's easy.
And fun.
Pass it along to a friend
and share the {love} ;)

{waiting}

...because even miracles take a little time.

Anyone waiting?

Or know someone who is?

Personalize with a sterling silver ladybug charm, heart or freshwater pearl.

Your choice.

Add a second charm

to

celebrate those long anticipated milestones

and to let others know where you are in the process ;)

Of course, my favorites were...

LID

PA

And the very best.

TA!!!

Where are you?

p.s.
oh yes, and if you {heart} this, leave me a comment and I'll add it to my store :)

"Be assured that if God waits longer than you wish,
it is to make the blessing all the more precious."
~unknown~

May 13th {in pictures}

"In the presence of LOVE, miracles happen."

On May 13, 2008,
We opened our email to this sweet face.

First day home...

~May 13th, 2009~

~May 13, 2010~

"You were made perfectly to be loved~
and surely I have loved you...
my whole life long."
~Elizabeth Barrett Browning~

wildflower {wednesday}

"The flower that blooms in adversity

is the most rare and beautiful of all."
~from the Disney movie, Mulan~

Today is wildflower {wednesday}...
with a twist.

You see, not only is it wildflower {wednesday},
which is now one of my very favorite things, by the way.

But, it is also an anniversary of sorts.
An anniversary.
For me.
For Sophie.
For her daddy.
And her brothers and sister.

Tomorrow
May 13th
marks two years
since we saw our sweet girl's face for the very first time.

That day is one I will never forget.
The call.
My hands shook.
And my heart literally pounded all day long.

The day dawned an ordinary Tuesday.
But ended in a way that changed our lives forever.

Our hearts have never been the same.

Without a doubt,

she has made our lives

...more beautiful.

Through Sophie's adoption,
we have been blessed by meeting others
who are traveling the same road.

Others
who have quickly become friends.

And who, this week, are also remembering
the sweet day
they first saw their daughter's face.

Carrie is one such friend.
And she is graciously hosting my wildflower {wednesday} this week.

As a way for us to celebrate
our daughters
Sophie and Sadie

And how our lives are

...more beautiful

because of them.

To enter my wildflower {wednesday}, and win your own personalized necklace,

visit Carrie here.
She'll tell ya the scoop.

Just leave a comment and tell us someone or something that makes your life
...more beautiful!

It's easy.
Tell your friends.
Cuz that's what makes it more fun.
And
...more beautiful ;)

{like} wheat and wildflowers

Wow.

Three posts in a day?

Out of control :)

Just have to say that after much S.T.R.E.S.S.

And many days.

You can now find me on facebook.

Click on the {f} link on my sidebar.

And you can...

{like}

{be a fan}

or

{a friend}

cuz, to tell you the truth,

I don't know the difference :)

Just glad you can find me there now.

Finally.

phew...

did someone say {party}?

Alright, everyone.

Just because

I can't resist.

I. have. to. share.

And because I know many of you

LOVE

cupcakes

and parties.



Coolest.

Sweetest.

Best ideas.

E.V.E.R.

Come back and share your favorite...

Don't tell me that I didn't warn you.

I have to admit.

I'm smitten with the Wizard of Oz {party}.

Photo op in a hot air balloon?

Red slipper cupcakes. On a yellow brick road, of course.

Lunch in a basket.

An my favorite...melted witch to drink ;)

Oh, the love affair begins again.