Post surgery

Praise The Lord Oh my soul... I'm really fatigued today and can't seem to escape the plethora of trials and health issues (not for the last decade anyway)... But with not an ounce of pride (I don't have any room for extra ounces) I'm so thankful I have like 5 1/2 more pounds to lose to get back to where I was before they had me on meds and etc for my neck. I say that because I was thinking I was too far gone (I know) and what I mean by that is that when you are my size and you gain weight, it calls for a new wardrobe...pretty much. So since March I've been laid up and not been able to exercise or anything I'm so thankful that I don't have to buy a whole new wardrobe esp when I can walk in a room and my favorite thing is probably going to be the one that's the most expensive. Please still keep me in your prayers as I have more issues after I'm healed up from this. Praying that The Lord will just take away the aneurysm on my left opthalmic artery if He wants to do so and dissolve this breast (I hate saying that word) health issue they've been following, along with the adenoma on my pituitary. 

Also, I'm so thankful for all of the precious encouragers that I have, the friends who have prayed for me, brought me and mine meals, offered to run errands even if I say no, my fam who have watched my kids, cleaned my house...and just people who have been bearing with me through the long haul when I can't even return a phone call because of my neck. 

Also, I'm pretty much tired every waking second and feel a dump truck load of guilt that I can't be a full on mom to my kids and that they don't really have play dates or tons of friends and are cooped up in the house with me. Poor Blair has hardly been anywhere and he hasn't been in the car with me. But this huge stretch of trials over the last decade and countless health issues, and go big or go home experiences, have refined me yes and greatly affected my quality of life and moreover at times have made me feel like the one person you don't want to see coming...like oh no here's that girl with the plague. Maybe that's my own cloak of condemnation I'm wearing but it's been tough and people who have never suffered (Lord have mercy on them) can be so judgmental and uncaring. Thankful in all things that I have suffered that I can comfort those with the same comfort I've received.  Be it the death of a child, financial woes, chronic sickness with my kids, really random who gets that but jenny and her people illnesses, rod breaking his back, me having war story pregnancies, surgeries, crazy vital issues with my heart, MVP, massive kidney stones, meningitis (I'm feeling like the end of Hebrews 11 when there was not enough time to speak of it all. Lol) and a thousand other things...I have known The Lord as the God who sees me even when others don't understand and are full of judgment...there is such peace in knowing God sees and we don't have to explain our back story to Him...be it marriage trials or near death experiences... He sees and He knows and also your load and mine might not be the same but it's still our plight and not someone else's. We can't compare losses and we can't say oh God won't give us more than we can bear as it's not in the scriptures. We won't be tempted beyond what we are able to bear. He will provide a way of escape it's just whether we take it. However life can leave you feeling like a cannon ball is perpetually being launched through your insides, you may feel struck down but not destroyed. Like the heroes of the faith David, Elijah, and Paul you may even despair of life because it's so brutal. Life is not escaping trials or never going through the fire...it's about the ability to bear up under a load and persevere because of Christ. He owes us nothing and yet have us everything that we may have life and live with Him for all of eternity.

Morgan's 9th birthday

Yes I rhyme but Morgs is going to be 9 this week and that is sort of causing me to freak!!!

Now I lay me in the bed

All of a sudden I have feelings of dread. 

Morgan will turn 9 this week...

Where has the time gone?

Have I been asleep?

I want to stop time 

But it's like chasing the wind.

Even though she's only nine 

I've always known that she was the Lords & not mine...

My prayer for her has always been that she'd love The Lord with everything within...

Only The Lord knows what she means to me. 

With tears in my eyes and a lump in my throat i realize that these days are numbered and this is not our home...

However, I cherish the days we've had so far...

From the moment she was laid on my chest there was no more  room to self protect...she held the key to my heart, unlocked it and then threw it away... After June 24th 2005... I'd never ever be the same. 

This long anticipated 5lb baby girl, was used by God to heal my tattered heart in places I didn't even know. 

And still keeps using her and teaching me as I go. 

I fail, I fall, I'm as imperfect as can be

But I doubt she will ever say, "my mom didn't love me!" 

She's giving and caring and sometimes too daring. She's loyal, brave and a lover of truth...she has her flaws but don't we stinking all??

Praying she loves The Lord for all of her days and that she will acknowledge Him in all of her ways. Take hold of Him my child because He isn't words on a page...NO! He is your life and the length of your days. 

Frozen party decorations

My good friend came over to bring me food after my neck surgery and told me she was having a frozen themed party and most of you know there aren't a lot of frozen things to buy yet for parties. Disney is losing some major bucks on that. So I immediately started rummaging through my Christmas decorations. I cut snowflakes on the cricut and made a quick photo booth and made snow out of glitter blast and poly fill 

I bought crate paper at the dollar tree and used 4 black foam boards from the dollar tree and a strip of duck tape at the top and the back side to put it together. I put my snowflakes on strings to hang and bought some fun stuff for the photo booth. 

Normally I make a banner for my kids out of different scrapbook paper but for Morgan's friend I wanted it to go with the theme and found this chalk banner at target and used a chalk marker to write her name. I also had to cut it into three portions and add string to the ends to hang it. I found the other paper decorations that are blue and purple at the dollar tree. 

I tied toile in between each letter. 

 I used a sheer curtain panel for the table and added ribbon to the back of the chairs. My friend Dedra already hung the paper decor on the lights and had put together a lot of stuff before I got there. 

We used deco mesh to decorate the doors. 

I made this table skirt out of toile and twine.  I was guessing as I did it from my house. I found stems from Christmas decorations that Dedra put in glass vases. 

I also pulled out Christmas balls that were blue and silver and Dedra decorated with them as well. 

Dining room. 

More close ups. 

Again you can decorate easily with the Christmas balls and keep with the winter theme. 

Dedra made the coolest curtain with white Christmas lights behind it and crate paper. 

Again I tied together silver and blue decomesh and we used that on the doorway. I also pulled this velvet chandelier out of Morgan's room to use as seen in the middle. Hobby lobby has cheap ones you can buy. 

Feather boas (sp) from the dollar tree, huge glasses and mustaches for the photo booth. 

More decor. 

Here is the poly fill and I sprayed it with glitter blast to decorate the bar. And Dedra had the frozen banner.  More stems and etc for decor. 

I added the rest of my snowflakes to the snow. 

Dedra printed out the color sheets. 

Here's where I want to be these kids. Haha. Love this that Dedra made. 

Dedra found these posters and framed them and added more Christmas balld. Love it. 

The other poster. 

Close up of the other table. 

I hope she has a great party and the decorations just made me happy!!! 

Hoosier cabinet refurbish

I usually don't post furniture stuff but wanted to post this since it was my project for a couple of days since my neck surgery. This was pretty non-strenuous and doesn't take much time. 

The bottom is the original green with the white knobs. The cabinets were weathered so I was either going to cut them out and keep the frame and add chicken wire but let's be real. I have kids and I'm sure seeing through the chicken wire would be a no go considering how I clean up after people all day. 

I love chalk paint and this time I used a cheaper version that I purchased from Michael's. I also used their light wax and dark which was liquid form. With Annie Sloan I use a paste. 

Here's the paint. 

So I painted over a table in my half bath and really liked it so I decided to go for it on the Hoosier cabinet. 

This is an old sewing table with the singer still in it. You can get these at the thrift store for a dime a dozen! The pic really doesn't do it justice. 

So I removed the hardware from the cabinet, painted one coat of blue. Used packages of old papers I bought and placed them to cover each door using Modge podge. Then, I went over the papers with triple thick. 

People usually aren't familiar anymore with the Hoosier cabinet but they were used in the late 1800s and into the turn of the century until they started building cabinets in homes. They had all their cooking supplies here and etc. They had a flower sifter built in and a lot of times mason jars. So instead of copying someone on Pinterest I want a piece unique to my taste and one that will go with everything. I have another piece I did like it and it's a big conversation piece when I have guests. 

Next, I added one more coat of the blue. Chalk paint dries so fast and that's the main reason I love it. After that I added the white (clear) cream wax as shown above. You let it dry and you can buff it with a cloth as long as it is one that isn't going to leave debri behind. I just wiped mine off a tad. Then, I used the dark wax which again was a liquid wax from Michael's. I painted it on with a paint brush which leaves the stroke marks. I always paint with foam brushes when I do furniture. It's not messy and it saves on paint. I let the dark wax dry and added new hardware. The drawer knobs at the bottom were $3.99 each but half off at hobby lobby. The top ones I gave a box of. So, on this piece I used a 60 grit piece of sandpaper to distress it. It just takes less time which I'm all about. 

Here is more detail on the old scraps. 

And the knobs from hobby lobby.  

I need to tell anyone and everyone always always wax with a clear wax before you do dark over it. If not, you may mess up and have to repaint the thing. 

So here it is in the kitchen. I was afraid it would be to big but it goes great. I'm going to add a few more touches to it and I'm done.