A Bird's Story

The following is a 10 page little book I am publishing for Maddy's first bday. Just thought I would share.



A Bird's Story


Dedicated to Madelyn Eve, on her first birthday, in hopes that one day she may know the great impact she has had on our lives, even from the start.


This is but a glimpse, little bird.





Like a tiny little secret, God gave me you to keep safe and quiet. I felt you in my body from the first moment, but when I first heard your sweet little heartbeat, the staccato punctuation to my steady thrum- I began to dream of you. What would it feel like to hold you? How soft would your hair be? What would it be like to look into your face and see pieces of your daddy- pieces of me? How much would you change our lives?


You have always been a show stopper Madelyn. You rolled and twirled all hours of the day and night- reminding me and forewarning me that you were feisty and proud. You loved music and would kick happily and pump your fists whenever I sang to you.


You mystified your Daddy. He longed so much to feel you like I did. We would fall asleep at night, his hand resting on my belly, and he would whisper, “I’m ready to meet you.”


Maddy, God had a very unique and precious plan for you! Before you were quite done growing, you made your unexpected entrance into our lives. Your birth was startling, frightening, and amazing- your tiny cries a miracle, your perfectly formed body a gift from a God who loves us- me, you, your daddy- enough to keep you safe against all odds.


You stayed in a quiet and special place for two weeks. It was a gentle space for tiny babies to grow and get strong. Though I couldn’t be with you, I yearned for you- my heart attached by the toughest threads to yours- I absolutely longed to be with you. I knew, though, that you were being cared for by angels and attended to by God.


The first time I held you, oh, you were so small. Maddy, you were the most precious baby to behold. Tiny! You were four pounds with a sweet fuzzy head and big bright eyes. And, with all the world quiet, for just a moment, you rested against my chest, and our hearts once again began to beat together, that blessed cadence.

The first time your daddy held you- I held my breath. You two fit together like pieces of the sweetest puzzle I have ever seen. You looked into his face like you knew him. His heart! I thought it would burst out of his chest! You may never fully be able to understand the depth of love that he feels for you, but in that moment, I think you knew it.

You blew our minds from day one and grew so fast and strong. You came home much earlier than anyone thought- it was a miracle.

Madelyn Eve, please remember that the One who made you that strong, the One who gave you the determination to fight so hard- He is the ultimate joy, the genuine peace, and the biggest love you will ever know. You are God’s special girl- a message of love to your family, a whisper of hope to those who know you, and a reassurance that God never leaves His children. Do you see how He has already used you? Do not forget how special He thinks you are!

When you came home, our tiny house began to glow with excitement. Your family came to see you every day- they left work, they put aside chores, and they braved bad weather- just to be with you! You, sweet baby, were loved so greatly from the moment you were born!

As you grew, you began to show your delightful personality. You have always loved to laugh and grin. You’ve been bouncing and dancing from the day you learned to hold your head up. Now you have grown into such a healthy little girl, I am quite shocked you were ever considered tiny!

This is your first birthday and for me, it is both extremely joyous and also a bit sad. I didn’t know this time would pass so quickly. I had no idea that we would blink and you would be one year old! I feel like I should have watched you more closely, memorized your every transformation, taken better notes! Still, here we are and you are my perfect little bird!

There are so many things still ahead of you. I pray you will have the fullest life. I pray you will be reckless with your kindness and cautious with your heart. I hope you will always find me a comforting hand to hold and your daddy the safest place to land. I pray you will be happy as God made you and not try to be something different. I hope I can teach you enough about Godly confidence to get you through even the toughest of days. I pray you will know that your daddy is your warrior and he will endure your troubles alongside you. Mostly, I pray that you will know God intimately, His love, His sacrifice through Jesus, and His grace which gives you freedom to love Him wide open and without abandon!

I know that you will find joy in the smallest things, because that is your nature. You are a small thing, my little bird, but full of vivid life. You are the most important story I could ever tell. And this one year is just the beginning.

Maddy, may the love multiply! And may your dad and I strive to impart even half the joy and love you have already given us!

 

Decoupage and Decoupage....and Decoupage- Eggs!!!

So, I went a little crazy with my trust Mod Podge today!

I wanted to make little decoupaged plastic eggs for decor around the house. So, I grabbed a small bag of eggs from the Dollar Store and some scraps of designer paper and went to work. I cut all sizes and shapes of paper strips and dunked them into Mod Podge with a teaspoon of water mixed into it then started to piece them together onto each egg.

Cute, yeah?

And SUPER easy! The fun part was getting the glue all over my hands and getting to peel it off later.

The next project is one I just came up with one night in bed. A simple concept and one I love but want to elaborate upon next year!

Once again, main ingredients are Mod Podge and Scrap paper.

Starting off, I free-handed an egg on white card stock and cut out three of them for the three black frames I also bought at Dollar Store.

Then I cut strips of paper, sometimes with fancy edges, and started to glue them one on top of the other.

Once the egg was covered...I just flipped it over and cut off the edges.

Then, I brushed Mod Podge over the finished product for a decoup look!

Frame, and Voila!

Sort of cute, right? I thought so! And super fun and easy!

Yes, Another heart wreath tutorial- just REALLY simple!!!

So, this project started out a MESS! I had no idea what I was trying to accomplish with yarn and a heart form.

It turned into something I actually quite like.

This is so simple:

Buy a foam heart wreath, two or three colors of yarn, and a complementing organza ribbon. I also kept the hot glue gun and straight pins nearby.

Then you simply start to wrap the yarn. I wrapped the entire form in plain white, using a dot of glue to hold it fast. I filed down the pointier parts of the heart to make wrapping easier and used hot glue on those areas also to help the ribbon stick. You will see that in a photo later on.

After the form was completely covered in white, I took my browns and pinks and just started to haphazardly twist them around, crossing over one another, with very little thought, actually!

You will see below that I had to double back a bit on the pointier parts...I tried like fifteen different ways to get these parts wrapped. If you find a better way, let me know!

Then, using an approx. 18 inch section of the brown ribbon, I wrapped that from the middle point all the way around clockwise.

Finish with a simple bow and loop and voila! Nothing fancy at all!

Wish I would have better positioned the bow in these photos...but you get the idea.

I love the way it looks in my living room!! Sweet little wreath!

Rest and Recharge

My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from him.

Psalm 62:1

This picture was taken on the way to Anniston, Alabama this past Sunday. I love how peaceful they look. When Maddy goes down for a nap, sometimes it is a wrestling match and she is a slippery alligator. When she wakes, however, she is alert and happy, with shiny bright eyes and hands and feet ready to make a mess. It's a simple reality- rest does our bodies a favor.

I know some people say "After you have kids, you will never rest again." I just can't buy into that. I will agree that it is not as easy to rest, as your schedule is no longer your own and you adjust to the needs and schedule of the child. I think that the true issue may lie in what "rest" really is and what it looks like for us all.

For me, rest can be anything from a cozy nap in the bed with Maddy curled up beside me, to a little time in the Word each day when the house is finally quiet and I have time to devote to the study. Where I fail in this area is my heart and head. I worry. I am anxious. And just as I can rest my "eyes" for a nap, my brain can still be spinning out of control- leading my heart down a path of anxious trepidation.

God calls us out of that cautious doubt and worry. I think it may stifle our best parts- our creativity, our witness, our love. I have tried everything for this anxiety- medicine, relaxation techniques, exercise- yet nothing really works except simple time in rest. On that same token- if we do not quiet down, purpose to have restful moments in our lives- how can we really hear from God?

The same can be said for rest in our relationships. My husband, Chris, and I are leaving here in about two hours for a short, (cheap) trip to Asheville. Our marriage demands it. I can give you a laundry list of the reasons why we do not spend enough time together! It will rain the entire time we are there....THE WHOLE TIME. I had visions of strolling the Biltmore Village, heading up to Mt. Mitchell if it is clear....all or which require semi-good weather...not the thunderstorms that are predicted. So, we have adjusted our plan accordingly. We will visit local galleries, stop and grab some freetrade coffee from a free-spirited coffee shop, and let ourselves do nothing if we choose. Do nothing on purpose. Spend time talking about things that get skipped over in daily life. This is the new plan. I will concede that I am even more excited about this plan than the other! I am so excited to just enjoy my husband's company, to just be around him with no timeline or schedule.

So, here's to rest! Not idleness or laziness- just rest. Even if it is 5 minutes- we have to find it...hiding in the moments we let slip by.