I'm not in control... and I love that.

        Today is another due date of mine. 
Truth be told, earlier this week I was a disaster zone. I had a couple of days there when I would just cry out of nowhere. I had already written this long doom and gloom pity-party post talking about how bad the day sucks. (it was "big time", btw).  I've been through this before- a due date with no baby to show for it- but last time I was already pregnant again so that was a little different. 
Today, however, I have hope. 
It's crazy how often I have to remind myself that I am not in control- but as weak as that seems in the world's eyes, it's such a comfort to me. It's such a blessing to know that the God who created the universe is in charge of my life. He always does what's best, and what's best for Him is, in the long run, what's best for me. 
We sang the song below in worship last week and I won't lie, I was basically crying the whole time. (Whoops- my bad to everyone within 5 feet of me.) The part that got me going was the line "When the harvest time is over and I still see no fruit, I will wait, I will wait for you". But the best part? 
"When I failed to trust your promises, You never failed to hear my prayers". 
  

The secret mysteries belong to You

We only know what You reveal

And all my questions that are unresolved

Don’t change the wisdom of Your will

In every trial and loss

My hope is in the cross

Where Your compassions never fail.
I know I sound like a broken record, but it's becoming more and more clear to me that God's plan for my life is so much more than I could have ever dreamed. The events we see unfolding and the people that we have met in this past year all point to something more fantastic than anything we would have ever planned for ourselves. God knows exactly how and when our next child is going to come to us and He is in control of that, not me. 


I'm happy to say that I'm learning to sit back and enjoy this ride.

Gracie girl.

Am I the only one who can't hear the name Gracie without thinking of Ben Fold's Gracie? 
Dang I love Ben Folds.

Some friends of ours just finished a 5-year adoption process for their baby girl, Gracie. They came home with her just before Christmas and I could not be happier for them! 


Gracie's dad contacted me back in November when they found out that Gracie was in fact their daughter and that they would be travelling to China the next month. He wanted to have a quilt made for his wife as a special baby gift. In talking with some of the other girls in our Adult Bible Fellowship (fancy name for Sunday School group- who, by the way, meet every other week for "sewing club"- don't be jealous of how cool our club name is!), we decided it would be so special if we could all work together on it. 


2 charm packs, some yardage and 2 "sewing parties" later, we had this quilt ready for her:

The names of all the women who worked on the quilt are on that half-square triangle block on the back along with a short message and 1 Samuel 1:27. 

We gave them the quilt at a lunch/shower for them yesterday. 

I think it's safe to say she loved it.

That thing everyone does in January..

I've combined the two things that most people do in January.

organizing + resolutions

in closets. 

A Closolution, if you will. 

I've resolved- nope, DECLARED!- that I will effectively organize every closet in the house in 2012. 

(there are only 6- one every 2 months. Not too hard!)

Of course, I started with the one that most impacts me.

That just so happened to be the worse off. 

The playroom/sewing room closet. 

Seriously? At night when I was done working on things,  I would literally throw them in there and slam the door before they could fall out. So sad. 

Thanks to a $44 shelving unit at Target and 50% off storage boxes and baskets at Hobby Lobby (holler!), my closet now looks like this: 

*happy sigh*

I'm thinking I'll actually keep it organized, too! I grouped things and put them into easy-to-remove baskets or boxes (embroidery supplies, mailing supplies, buttons/basting pins/binding clips, ironing stuff, craft supplies for Noah, markers) and even left some empty space on a shelf for works-in-progress. 

So far so good! 

One down, 5 to go! 

I've been sewing and DANG my kid is weird.

Thanks for all the little comments and emails about the adoption! Like I said we are super excited and just praying that everything works out in God's perfect timing.

So, between since I haven't had any embroidery to do after Christmas, I've been sewing a lot! I just finished piecing a t-shirt quilt for a friend from college and have sent it on it's merry way to the quilter.

I've also been working on a few ideas for quilts that I will have for sale soon, this being one of them. Well, it's the rough draft, as I've got one thing to fix tonight before I head to bed. Can you spot the mistake?

4th half-triangle on the left.

It's supposed to be light grey- DANGIT!

Oh well, at least I messed up on an outside piece that's easily fixable!

I also finally made the sewing machine cover that I've had pinned since I joined Pinterest!

It's a tad bunchy and big, but since my machine is a sewing/embroidery machine, it has a weird piece that juts off the back and messed up my measurements.

But oh, do I love me some linen + bright colors.

Speaking of love, I love my kid.

He is the weirdest, most fun person under 4 feet tall that I've ever met.

(Note- I actually typed out "under 3 feet tall" but yeah he's definitely 37". Jolly Green Noah.)

A friend of ours gave him this chicken hat as a joke (I think!) but Noah wants to wear it everywhere and now that it's getting cold, he insists on wearing to school... and, as his teachers informed me, wearing it DURING school.

<3 that kid.

this family, it is a-changin'

I haven't been around much, have I? Let's just say there are LOT of things going on and a lot of things changing around here. I've been hard at work at my "real job", plus sewing and embroidering a lot more (basically re-opened my etsy shop... on Facebook). Joe's been working as usual (as well as volunteering with the children's choir AND taking part in a men's bible study that meets about once a week) and we're basically always just trying to keep up with Noah, who... you know... is two.

I am very excited to say that things are going to get a little bit more crazy around here (hopefully soon!) as we have started the process of adoption! We are still pretty early in the process- we've only turned in our application and application fee and met with our agent once- but I can't explain how excited I am!

As some of you know, we've been trying for about 2 years to have a second baby. Two miscarriages and a lot of prayer later, we've realized that God thinks that our plans for our life were hilariously small, and his plan is already so much greater, so much more fantastic than anything that we could have planned! :) I know that adoption is very much a "hurry up and wait" thing, but I'm praying and hoping that it happens quickly.

So if I'm missing from here soon (yeah, like anyone would notice a difference), it's probably because I am applique-ing shirts (see? THIS is why I started back with those!), sewing quilts (both custom orders and - hopefully soon- a few in the etsy shop!), giving sewing lessons and basically anything else to help chip into the ol' adoption savings account. Oh, and making our scrapbook for birth moms to look at- you know that's one part I'm pumped to get working on!

I am so excited to meet and love this child who I know God has already picked to be a part of our family long before he revealed His plan to us.

Psalm 40 is sort of a desperate, semi-depressing Psalm, but this much is true:

"I waited patiently for the LORD; he turned to me and heard my cry....

Many, LORD my God, are the wonders you have done, the things you planned for us."

I've been saying if for a long, long time, but God has big plans for my little family.

Just in case you like free things...

I'm giving away one free appliqued onesie or t-shirt on the wee little winslow facebook page!

I hope you were super stoked about everything you gave and received this Christmas!

that awkward moment when..

you realize that your nails would go great with that quilt.