A Christmas Giveaway and Door Tour...

I was reading Miss Anne's blog and felt that a Pay it Forward was due....especially because He is the reason for this season. So here we go....

I'd like to give away a set of my Christmas Cards and a set of my Gift Tags.

To enter the giveaway you must leave me a comment. If you'd like to enter twice, please post about my giveaway on your blog and don't forget to let me know. If you are interested in buying more cards or gift tags, please check out my Etsy Store to the right on the sidebar. The winner of this giveaway will be posted on Friday, December 5. Good luck!

I also wanted to do a Christmas Door Tour.

On December 10th please use Mr. Linky (if I can get it to work correctly) and post a link to your blog with your beautiful Christmas Door decorations.

I am SO looking forward to seeing all your creative decorations!

Merry Christmas!!!

Christmas Spirit...

I got into the Christmas Spirit today and made some cards for my Etsy Store. Check these out...




If you are interested in purchasing these cards or some others, please check out my Etsy Store to the right on my sidebar. This was just a start...I'm hoping to work on the tree and the rest of the decorations in our house tomorrow.

Saying Thanks, Even When We Don't Want To...

Angie @ Bring the Rain used this post to encourage her bloggers to say thank you to the Lord for something that they truly aren't quite thankful for...yet.

Let me explain....

Angie and her husband Todd lost their sweet newborn baby Audrey Caroline soon after she was born. Angie struggles with this loss on a daily basis...I can't even imagine. On her latest post, she was trying to gain the strength to say thanks to our God for the death of her baby. She asked her fellow bloggers to do the same...to say thanks for something that really don't feel thankful for. She had over 450 comments...and if you have time, you should check out some of the posts and pray for these people that opened up their hearts and revealed their deepest secrets asking for prayer.



This is what I wrote....



I am so thankful for two failed IVF attempts because I know how precious the moment will be when the Lord provides us with a beautiful baby to love.



Of course, I don't feel thankful for this right now...both times we received the news that our blood tests were negative, it was just so heartwrenching. But I do believe that when we are finally parents, we will be so thankful and full of joy.



Today Angie shared this scripture...



And we know that in all things God works for the good of those that love Him, who have been called according to His purpose. ~Romans 8:28





Now THIS...I am thankful for.

MckMama's Giveaway...

I wanted to post about an awesome giveaway going on at My Charming Kids Blog. She is giving away a FREE blog header, designed by none another than MckMama herself!!! She is a loving mother of FOUR, you heard me, FOUR precious little babies. She also created a prayer AVALANCHE with her last pregnancy....and as a result, her precious little Stellan is as healthy as can be.



If you don't know about her yet, you've got to check her out!

Thankful Thursday (Times Three)...

I am so thankful this week and I feel as if I am getting even MORE thankful as the THANKSgiving holiday approaches. Here are the three things that I am MOST thankful for this Thankful Thursday (Times Three)...



1. My parents...



My parents are driving over 13 hours in their motorhome to spend the Thanksgiving Holiday with us. We can not be more excited! I am so anxious about Saturday that I can hardly stand it!!!



2. Thanksgiving with Family...



The DH and I are so excited to host our FIRST Thanksgiving Dinner. Now, don't misunderstand, our family is bringing over ALL the food, so we are only making a few items ourselves. But I am so thankful that we will be able to spend the day with the people that we love the most.



3. Bloggy Friends in Need...



I have had several of my bloggy friends have an extremely rough week. My friend Amy was really down in the dumps on Monday and my friend Adrienne has received some terrible news. It is so amazing at how many people left them comments, prayed for them, and helped them to know that they are not alone in their journey.



What three things are you MOST thankful for this week? Please share, I'd love to know!

Amy's Not Alone...

My friend Amy at Chapters wrote this post last night and it really broke my heart....well it broke my heart again. I know too well what she is experiencing...right done to the very last sentence. What is funny about infertility (and I hope you know I don't really mean funny) is that it treats your emotions like a roller coaster. At one moment you are traveling up this hill to places unknown, then it drops you as low as you think you could ever go, the next moment you are traveling up that hill again and so hopeful that NO ONE can bust your bubble, and then ultimately brings you back to the starting point and slams you to a screeching stop. Unfortunately, infertility is a test of your Faith. And this is where Amy is right now and where we ALL have been from time to time. Please take a minute, if you haven't already, and leave Amy a comment...let her know she is not alone and say a prayer for her. All of us fellow gardeners are in this journey together.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek His will in all you do, and He will direct your paths. ~Proverbs 3:5-8.

God is on a Roll...

I read two posts that shared some good news this past week. Two of my fellow gardeners are EXPECTING!!! Yes, you read that correctly....Heather at Life at Sonic Speed and my other friend at Natually Caffeinated Family shared that they both are pregnant. I was so excited to be able to put a "check mark" by both of their names on my "praying for a baby" P-List.

"And we can be confident that he will listen to us whenever we ask him for anything in line with His will. And if we know He is listening when we make our requests, we can be sure that He will give us what we ask for." ~I John 5: 14-15

God is on a roll....

Thankful Thursday (Times TEN)...

I feel so horrible because I missed last Thursday's Thankful Thursday Times Three!! So, I thought I would pay my dues and tell you about the TEN things I'm thankful for this week!



Here we go...



1. Dinner with my mother-in-love...



My mother-in-love and I went out to dinner last Tuesday night...can you say Ruth's Chris!!!! Nothing is better than a juicy steak, steamed broccoli, and sauteed mushrooms. Yum!! I was so full from eating that night, that I couldn't eat anything until dinner the next night :)



2. The holidays...



I am SO looking forward to the holidays...Thanksgiving and Christmas. My parents are driving their motorhome to see us for both holidays and I couldn't be happier. This is the longest I have gone from seeing my parents...almost 2 and half months. I know that isn't really a long time, but it seems like FOREVER to me.



3. Seeing the muscial...



My school is producing the musical Kiss Me, Kate next week. I saw the set today in the theatre and I can not wait to see our talented students put on yet another outstanding musical production.



4. Prayer...



I have been down in the dumps this past few weeks and what seems to have gotten me through it all is prayer. I had so many people leave me their favorite verse through email and through commenting on my blogs. Believe me...He really does miracles!



5. A night out on the town...



The DH and I went to the San Sebsatian Winery with his uncle and new girlfriend. I had never been there before and it was just so awesome. The winery has a bar on the rooftop with a band. The weather was just perfect and we had a great time sipping sangria and listing to the jazz band.



6. Uppercase Living...



I found this great store on-line...www.uppercaseliving.com. It is probably going to be my new addiction :( I ordered a few things for our home as well as some Christmas gifts. My family is going to be in for a real treat this year!!



7. Thanksgiving Dinner...



We are having Thanksgiving Dinner at our house this year. And it will be a FIRST! I am so nervous, but so thankful to have our family over for the greatest meal of the year.



8. Karaoke with my DH...



Yes, we are karaoke junkies!! My mother-in-love bought us a karaoke machine about four years ago and we have been addicted ever since. We used to stay up all night singing, laughing, and having a great time. We hadn't done this in quite some time, but we broke out the karaoke maching this past weekend!! Great times!!



9. My DVR...



I am so thankful to have a DVR and have the ability to tape all of the wonderful televisions shows I like to watch. I can't imagine what I did before this thing!!! I probably have a good 10 shows that I MUST watch and there is no way I could see them all without my DVR.



10. My wishing thread necklace...



I won a wishing thread necklace from Make Mine a Mojito. I finally received it yesterday and plan to wear it every single day! The key is that the necklace is on a thin thread...you should pray and think about what you desire most and when the thread finally breaks, your wish will come true.



So those are the things I am MOST thankful for this Thursday! You don't have to list 10 things, but I'd love to hear what you are most thankful for this week.

My Guardian Angel...

I have been in awe at all the wonderful friends that I have met through blogging and I have a VERY special story I would like to share about someone so far away, but so very special...



As you know, my DH and I are trying to save enough money to attempt our third try at IVF. I have been doing a Chip-In/Giveaway on my Be Thou a Knight blog and have raised almost $800 already. I received a VERY special card in the mail yesterday and I just felt moved to share it with all of you. I haven't asked permission to share my friend's name, so I'll call her Angel (for lack of a better name).



Angel commented on my last giveaway and this is what she wrote...

I too have suffered from infertility for 6+years. My heart goes out to you. God has truly performed Romans 8:28 to perfection though through our infertility. He has blessed us with a ministry of "2nd Chances". We have adopted two beautiful children, one with Down Syndrome and one with Semi-lobar Holoprosencephayly. And yes I will be donating to your IVF fund. I know how financially stressful it can be going through infertility treatments. Just remember God has a purpose and a plan and He is using you to reach so many women struggling with this same diagnosis. I will be praying for you and your husband. Love In His Grip, Angel

Immediately, I looked up Romans 8:28 and this is what it reads, "And we know that God causes everthing to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose for them." What a powerful message!

I was curious about the rest of the chapter and loved this verse too..."And the Holy Spirit helps us in our distress. For we don't even know what we should pray for, nor how we should pray. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God's own will."~Romans 8:26-27

This verse touched me more than I have time to write in this post....so I'll save those feelings for another post. I want to finish with my awesome story about Angel.

Angel emailed me and said that she was having difficulty with my Chip-in and asked if she could just mail me a check for our IVF fund. I emailed her back, thanking her over and over again, and to my surprise, I received a card in the mail from her yesterday. I sat in my car in awe at the words she wrote to me...

I definitely connected with your story, even though God had a different plan for me and my family. I will be praying for you and your husband.I remember so clearly the strain not only financially but physically and emotionally, that infertility plays in a marriage. I look forward to your updates via your blog. Christ's richest blessings to you and your hubby, Angel.

Included in the card was a sweet picture of Angel and her family, along with a GENEROUS donation to our IVF fund. I think I read Angel's words at least 20 times last night. I couldn't believe how thoughtful someone that lives SO far away from me could care so much about me, my husband, and our situation.

All I can say is that she must be my guardian angel sent from the ONLY person that knew how much I needed one...

Thank you Angel.