Our Greatest Adventure...

Only 2 1/2 weeks til D day! How can 9 months possibly go by so fast?
We have been frantically working to get this house ready for baby boy and I just have to share a few photos of the wooden sign we did for his nursery! When we found out we were having a boy we were both completely SHOCKED! We all thought it was a girl. So with it being a boy, we truly knew he would be our Greatest Adventure and gift from God.

Our prayer is that this sweet boy of ours will love the Lord with all of his heart from an early age. We pray that he will live a life of wonderful adventure as he follows hard after Him.  :) There is nothing more valuable in this life than knowing and loving the One who died to save us.

 More photos to come when it is more complete. :)

Hillsong United

We got to go to the Hillsong United concert last night and it was one of the 

most awesome nights of worship I have experienced. 

We waited in a long line just to get to the doors and while we were standing there Steven said to me, 

"Isn't it cool that we will be worshiping God in heaven with all of these people one day?" 

I am so glad he said that because it set my mind on eternity for the 

whole rest of the evening. 

Such an incredibly beautiful experience. 

Encouragement

Needing a little encouragement today and this song
always reminds me Who is on my side!

Feel free to print of this chalkboard sign and use it for 

 when you are feeling down. 

Southern Grace

Since it is Valentine's Day and my handsome hubby and I are delaying our celebration to this weekend, I decided to celebrate someone else who is very special to me today. 

And that is my lovely sister-in-law, Michelle. 

Let me tell you a little about her...

From the first time I met her, I didn't like her. Not really! Hehe!

But you know what I mean, she is "that girl" that everyone hates to love because they are not only extremely cute, they are also extremely sweet...which is extremely irritating! :) 

My brother was raising his baby girl, Chloe, as a single father when Michelle walked into their life and brightened up everything. She didn't have to but she took Chloe in and raised her as her own. Even still through the tough teenage years! : ) 

I believe her most valuable attribute is that she is a believer in Christ and strives to use the gifts He has given her to help bless & provide for their family. 

And He has definitely gifted this girl. My goodness, anything she touches turns to cuteness. 

She has done the most adorable birthday parties for Chloe and their newest addition, Cadence. 

She makes the most incredible cakes! 

She is also a very talented photographer and can shoot anything from Weddings to Pregnancies to Newborns. :) 

And now she is conquering the world of home decorating 

with her beautiful wreaths.

I'm telling you, you cannot find this kind of wreath at 

Hobby Lobby or Michael's. 

Hers just have that extra touch that makes 

each one unique and special. 

See, I told you you wouldn't like her. ; )

 I am just so very proud to call her my sister and thankful to share a love of the Lord (and crafting) with her!

Visit her Etsy shop, Southern Grace of Texas, to see her lovely collection! 

And follow her photography page on Facebook!

Chalk it up

   

In preparing for the wedding I knew I wanted to have chalkboard signs around the venue. 

I don't know what the allure is about them but I have loved them since seeing them hung in my favorite little coffee shops all through college. 

After making so many for the wedding I found how much I truly enjoy making them. I think it is the fact that you have to stop looking at the internet, put down your cell phone and just create. 

Growing up I took all kinds of art classes but somewhere along the way I fell away from it.

It is so easy to get caught up in things that truly don't matter and forget to just stop and enjoy life.

For me art is a beautiful way to enjoy life. 

I can see God in it as well. He created everything. 

And we were made in His image, so it is only natural that we would also create. 

Since the wedding is over I have decided to continue in creating chalkboard signs. 

This is a way not only to bring in a little extra money, but also to bring glory to God through a gift and passion He has given me. 

I just recently opened my Etsy shop but I will be adding many more Chalkboard signs to it as quickly as I can get them done. 

Here is my latest one for this Christmas season. 

I have also made it available as a downloadable print that you can frame yourself. 

Please visit my Etsy shop to see all of my designs like the Holly Jolly one below. 

A sweet new friend, Mandy requested this one to be made custom for her Christmas card photos & as a decoration for home. Her cards turned out soo cute didn't they!?!  

One day

At 27, seeing all of your friends get married and have children can be disheartening. I have to hold tight to what I believe and know that my heavenly Father has beautiful things in store for me. Whether those things are marriage and children or a life on the mission field, whatever it is, I know it will be better than anything I can ever imagine. 

 "What no eye has seen, nor ear heard,
   nor the heart of man imagined,
what God has prepared for those who love him"

 1 Corinthians 2:9

I will continue to pray for my future husband and dream about those special moments.

Here is a beautiful wedding video that makes my heart happy.

True Love Always Wins from Stillwater Cinematography on Vimeo.

All of these emotions were stirred up on Saturday night when I got to help set up this scene for a proposal in downtown Dallas. It was so sweet and simple. A dozen white roses with one single yellow rose.  Red rose pedals scattered all around. And my favorite... A Bible belonging to both the future bride and groom. He had even incuded her soon to be new last name in it.

 

He also went through and circled passages like this... 

"Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish."

Ephesians 5: 25-27

It was exciting to be a part of their special night.

I'm curious.
What was your proposal like?
How long had you been dating?
How did you know he was THE one?
Are you still waiting for him?

Remember...Open Hands

"When a woman has a kingdom heart, she has an active understanding of what matters most to the heart of God. She lives in the balance of passion and contentment. She learns to love well, give without regard to self, and forgive without hesitation. The woman with a kingdom heart may have a duffel bag full of possessions or enough treasures to fill a mansion, but she has learned to hold them with an open hand. Hold everything with open hands. I don't think we are ever allowed to grab hold of anything or anyone as though they matter more than the kingdom of heaven. When you hold relationships with open hands, then people come in and out of your life as gifts of grace to be cherished and enjoyed, not objects to be owned and manipulated. And then when you hold your dreams with open hands, you get to watch God resurrect what seemed dead and multiply what seemed small."

I read this passage from the book A Beautiful Offering a little while back and it touched me so much. Every line of it is perfect. I desperately want to be this woman and find myself struggling daily to set my mind on God's kingdom and not my own.