Cookie Lee Jewelry...UPDATED

Thank you Leslee...I didn't realize I had the wrong link for the jewelry catalog. I have it fixed now, so everyone can start SHOPPING!

My friend Cortney has recently become a Cookie Lee Jewelry Consultant. She is so generous and offered to donate 10% of her sales to our Fertility Fund...how GREAT is that???

So this is how this virtual jewelry show will work...

Please visit this link to view the on-line catalog. Choose the Fall/Winter 2009 Catalog and start shopping!! You should place your order directly with Cortney...her email address is Cortdavis@aol.com.

Here are just a few of the items that I am REALLY loving...

This bracelet is a MUST!!!

Cortney has speciality jewelry for sale too. Just email her directly if you are interested in viewing her sports, faith, or holiday inspired jewelry.

Cortney has great deals going on right now too!

1. If you are one of the first 5 people to place an order within 24 hours, you will receive a FREE gift.

2. If you place an order of $50 or more, you will receive a FREE gift.

3. If you refer anyone that purchases an item and it is added to my show total, you will receive a FREE gift.

So not only will I win by having donations made to our Fertility Fund, but you too will be receiving FREE gifts with your purchases!

If you are interested in hosting your own virtual Cookie Lee Jewelry show, e-mail Cortney for more details!

Thanks so much for your orders and a huge thank you to Cortney for being so generous!

Mom Therapy...

As most of you know, I had a terrible week last week. I just couldn't seem to pick myself up off of the ground :( But, I've got a new outlook this week and I feel motivated, hopeful, and blessed.

I am sure that a lot of it has to do with the fact that my mom is here in Florida this week!! My mom breeds Imperial Shih Tzu and she is here in town breeding a few of her dogs. Can you say perfect timing???

My dad drove her to Florida last weekend in their RV and then headed back to Texas. He will be back next weekend to pick her up. So mom is here for an ENTIRE week!!!

Needless to say, I've had a lot of mom therapy...shopping, planting, and eating!!

I can't think of a better way to spend the week than with my mom!

On a side note...you should check out my mom's website about her puppies...she will have litters due the end of November and one of these cuties would make the PERFECT Christmas present :)

Instead...

I received an email this morning through facebook with this poem attached:

Instead

Do not think of what you do not have;
Instead, appreciate what you have and can still have.

Do not think of things lost;
Instead, value what you still have and may yet find.

Do not cry over spilled milk;
Instead, rejoice in what was left.

Do not think of what you are not;
Instead, be humble with what you are and can still become.

Do not think of what others say you are;
Instead, concern yourself with what you affirm to be.

Do not think of the hours and days past;
Instead, look eagerly to times that are yet to come.

Do not think of what you failed to do;
Instead, think of those that you were able to do and can still best do.

Do not think of mistakes committed;
Instead, count the things you did right.

Do not think much of the pain you have caused;
Instead, plan for ways to make amends.

Do not think of the sufferings you now bear;
Instead, look to the comfort when relief draws near.

Do not consume yourself with thoughts of what could have been;
Instead, marvel at what has become and will become.

Do not be anxious to attain greater happiness;
Instead, content yourself with the little things which bring you bliss.

Do not aspire to fill your cup at once;
Instead, have the patience to do it little by little.

And if by chance you fail, do not fret over the empty part on top;
Instead, celebrate the space filled up.

Do not condemn nature when it is at its worst;
Instead, think of the times when it was at its best.

Do not blame luck for things you miss;
Instead, learn from things in which you have been remiss.

Nor should you curse luck or others for life's misfortunes;
Instead, accept them as part of life.

I say then, Live fully, die a little,
Learn much but question less.

Have just enough but give much more,
Be contented each time to crave much less.

Doubt less and affirm a lot,
Understand more, and be understood less.

Worry a little but hope you must,
Accept all, resist the least.

For all things happen,
In due time they must.

By P. E. Calleja


God must have known that I needed this today!

Being Honest...

I have to be honest and say that I had a rough day yesterday. I am not sure exactly what set me off, I just think it was one of "those" days and it was hard for me to control my emotions.

I have never felt that this journey we are experiencing was a mistake. I think there is a reason why God wants us to travel this road and have a longing for a child. How sweet the victory will be when His plan is revealed!!!

But I really felt as if life was so unfair yesterday. I just kept thinking about just how MUCH I really want to be a mother, how I want to see my DH holding our precious baby, and how our parents will spoil this baby rotten! I know deep down that God has the perfect plan with the perfect baby picked out just for us, but it's so hard waiting for that plan to be revealed.

It was a low of desperation and frustration and I am just TIRED! I literallly had to sit in my car for a good 30 minutes and compose myself before I went into work. But, I did. And I had a busy day. And it got better as the day went on.

But I am just being honest when I say that this is the hardest journey I have EVER traveled!!

Greeting Cards for Our Garden...

My DH and I are trying to raise funds for our next fertility procedure and I thought it would be a good idea for me to create some new Halloween and Fall cards for my website. Here is a sample of a few of the cards that I've made...

If you are interested in purchasing some of these sets, please visit my website, Greeting Cards for Our Garden. All the cards come in sets of 2, 3, or 4 and have matching envelopes.

Thanks for your help and stay tuned for the Christmas Cards coming soon!

Adding Another Book...

Many of you expressed to me that you would like to join the book club, but that you had already read Supernatural Childbirth. So, while on our trip back home from Destin, I finished up another book that I'd like to share.

This book is called A Spiritual Companion to Infertility by Julie Irwin Zimmerman. It is a quick read with only eleven chapters. Here is a quick look at the titles of each chapter:

• Why, God?
• Men, Women, and Marriage
• The Isolation of Infertility
• Loving Ourselves as God Loves Us
• Special Situaions (Miscarriages, Secondary Infertility, Step-parenting and Infertility)
• Making Decisions
• The Morality of Treatment
• Moving On
• Other Options: Adoption
• Other Options: A Family of Two
• Waiting in Hope

I must admit that the very first chapter, Why, God? was my absolute favorite! After each chapter, the book lists verses in the Bible that correlate with the chapter as well as gives you a few prayers to meditate on. Here is one of the prayers that I really liked:

Here me, O Lord. Sometimes You feel so far away. I pray and pray, and I wonder if You hear me. I know ther are no guarantees that You will grant me what I ask. I want a child so badly, But I want too to do Your will. I will try my hardest to trust You, even when it's hard to do. All I ask is that You let me feel Your presence and comfort me in these dark days. I ask this through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

So, if you'd still like to join and read this book instead (or read this one second, if you haven't read Supernatural Childbirth yet), please read this post on how to get started.

I am really feeling good about what a difference this will make in all of our lives!

Supernatural Childbirth Book Club...

One of my childhood friends, Angela, sent me the book Supernatural Childbirth by Jackie Mize. I received it right before we left for our Destin Anniversary Vacation and decided that it would be the perfect time to relax on the beach and read a book about believing in God's blessings of conceiving a baby and experiencing a pain-free childbirth.

I am just about finished with the book and have been overwhelmed with the author's words. So much so, that I feel compelled to share this beautiful book with all of you women experiencing this journey with me.

I would like to create a Supernatural Childbirth Book Club. This is how it will work:

1. Send me an email at liannap@aol.com if you would like to be included in the book club. In the email, please include your mailing address and a short note on what miracle you are believing God will reveal to you.
2. I will create a list of all the participants and their addresses.
3. I will mail the book to the first participant and include a note on the inside cover indicating my favorite page/verse in the book.
4. After the first participant has completed reading the book, she will mail it to the next participant and include her favorite page/verse after mine.
5. We will continue this pattern until all the members of the Book Club have read the book.
6. When I receive the book back, I will write a post summarizing all the favorite pages/verses noted on the inside cover.

I am hoping that by sharing our thoughts, experiences, and prayers, the Supernatural Childbirth Book Club will unite us as sisters in Christ and give us the strength to stand in faith...believing for His supernatural blessings.

I hope you will participate in this life-changing Book Club with me!

The Perfect Anniversary Weekend...

My DH and I are headed to Destin on Thursday for a long anniversary weekend. We had such a good time in July and couldn't wait to return. We found the perfect place to camp and we hope to make an annual visit to the Florida panhandle each summer.

I am such the PLANNER, but I haven't made ANY plans for this trip. We are just going to wing-it, be spontaneous, and enjoy our time together.

Okay...all you ladies that REALLY know me can pick your chins up off the floor. This is NOT typical of me at all, but I'm trying to relax here!

I have envisioned our long weekend to be full of sun, sleep, bike rides, and sunsets.

Sound like the perfect anniversary weekend EVER!

Breaking Down and Getting Back Up...

Last night I finally had the break down that I KNEW was coming. I didn't cry at all on Wednesday when we got the negative results, and really only shed a few tears on Thursday, but I let it all loose last night. My poor DH...I was a basket case!!! I thought about posting a picture of my swollen eyes this morning (because I look SCARY), but I do have SOME modesty :)

We had a great talk about our journey and how having a baby has changed everything in our lives...our focus, our relationship, and our relationship with others. Unfortunately, our journey has impacted all of these things in a negative way. We are stressed, frustrated, exhausted, and all of this is taking a toll on our marriage.

So we made a promise to put our focus back on US!!! Our 4th wedding anniversary is next week and what better timing than NOW to make a change. We are traveling back to Destin for a long weekend of enjoying one another and remembering why God put us on this earth.

We also made some decisions on what our next steps will be in this journey of growing our own garden. So although it was a bad break down, I'm getting back up and moving on.

Overwhelming Victory...

I received this scripture yesterday and I can't even BEGIN to tell you how it touch my heart...

"…despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us." ~Romans 8:37

Words like hurt, pain, struggles, frustration, failure, and unfair are no longer a part of my vocabulary. Instead I'm choosing love, laughter, success, joy, and overwhelming victory.

Still Waiting...

We woke up early this morning and took a pregnancy test. Unfortunately, we received a negative. We are doing fine...better than I expected because I still have a peace about all of this...I just know I was destined to be a mommy.

We are just still waiting for the right time.

9/9/09...

The number nine has taken on a new meaning for me and my DH. Things started to change for us, when we found out that the day we would test for our pregnancy was on 9/9/09. I started to research the number nine and found many interesting facts about the number. Here are just a few of the facts that I found:

• "The number nine has been used to describe the perfect movement of God." We can't think of a more perfect movement than that of a healthy baby.

• "Nine is not yet the full or complete, number ten, but it does mark the ending." We have been praying that it means the end of infertility.

• "The Ordained, fullness of God's plan." We believe that God has planned for us to be parents.

• "There are nine fruits of the Holy Spirit listed in the book of Galatians 5:22-23: love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance." These nine fruits reminds us of our journey to become parents because we have experienced each and everyone of these fruits at one time or another.

Stand in prayer and faith with us that 9/9/09 will change our lives forever!

The 2WW...

...better known as the Two Week Wait, has not been as bad as I have experienced in the past. I am not quite sure if it is because I have been extremely busy at work with school starting or because I have this wonderful peace about this cycle. Maybe it is a little of BOTH!

Our 2WW will soon be coming to an end and I am determined to wait until the date that our doctor gave us to perform the test. I'm just a rule follower...I can't help it! And I'm determined to try something different this time because every other time, the DH talked me into testing sooner. But NOT this time :)

The peace I feel about this cycle, I truly believe, has been a result of all the prayer and praise that I have been experiencing these past 2 weeks. This cycle started with a series about Hope at our church and I just can't seem to wait until the next Sunday to hear more about what our pastor has to say on this topic. My secretary and I have been praying every single morning at school before we start our day. I have been surrounding myself with scripture and positive thoughts. Not to mention that MANY of my friends and family have been pouring their love, prayers, and words of encouragement over me. I literally have recieved at least one sentiment from a loved one every single day of this cycle...which have come in the form of a phone call, email, text message, facebook message, or small gift. I have also started believing in this pregnancy with words of affirmation. Here are just a few of the comments I've been making these past few days..."Be nice to the mother of your child!", "I'm experiencing a little cramp...our baby must be growing!", and "I can't (insert chore) because I'm pregnant."

I am so very blessed and I know that God is in control...He knows my hearts desires and He will fulfill the promises He has made.

Please continue to pray that our 2WW will end with the most amazing results ever!

9 Minutes...

Our church has been doing a series about hope for the past few Sundays. The Sunday after the AMAZING sermon I heard (if you didn't read my post, click here to catch up), Pastor Russ delivered a POWERFUL production at the end of the sermon. He told us to take the last 9 minutes of the service and meditate however we wanted or needed to...with our eyes opened or closed, with our hands raised or clasped in prayer, seated, standing, or kneeling. For the remaining 9 minutes our awesome music ministry played while this video was projected. Take a look and see what you think...

Did this 9 minutes change your life like it did mine?