WOW, That was fast!

I was completey not expecting for the things I made to sell so quickly, but am so glad they did. I have even taken some custom orders already. Thank you to everyone who purchased and who sent people my way.












I still have this available in a size 2T $25.00



This is still available in a size 3/4. $35.00


This is the newest addition and is availble as a set in a size 4 for $25.00. These are capri length ruffles and are SO cute. Mylee has this set and is constantly complimented on it. I can do the ruffles without the tank top for $18.00 in any size.



Please e-mail at mmyag@comcast.net Remember, all sales go directly into our adoption fund for Keliah Faith.

Just the Beginning...

One of the things I said I would NEVER do was sew. I had enough if it in Jr. High Home Ec. I rmember we had to make a sweatshirt and wear it for a grade. I'm not sure, but I am pretty sure mine was lopsided. It was pathetic. Really, really pathetic.

And then came Emma. I loved seeing and buying all the creations people were selling on line, but it was getting kind of expensive. My mother in law sews, she has even made me custom window coverings. She used to do upholstery, and still does it now and then. So, I approached her about helping me applique some things for Emma. Instead, she said she would help me, and went out and bought me a sewing maching for my birthday.

I will admit, at first I was a bit freaked out about the whole thing. I didn't want to sew, I wanted to design it and have her make it. But she insisted on me doing it. So, I started with appliqueing things on big overalls, jean skirts. Then moved on to appliqueing on shirts. From there I started making skirts (which when I look at now, I chuckle because they were so badly made).

Anyway, I kept at it here and there. Mostly making things around the holidays, but Emma never really liked wearing anything I made, esecially as she got older. Enter Mylee. Mylee will wear anything as long as it's not going to slow her down. She has become my very own walking manaquin.

So, I started makeing more and more things for Mylee and more and more people would cmment on her outfits. I was constantly getting requests to make things to sell and finally a few monts ago decided to go with it. I have been so busy making things for others by word of mouth that I haven't even had to advertise until now.

So, here's the deal. Below are a few things I have made up and ready to go. Each picture has the size and price ( just add $4.95 for shipping). 100% of the money will go to Keliah's adoption fund. I will also be posting some of the custom sets I can do and fabric choices later this week. This is just the beginning...

I mentioned earlier that we are on day 43 of our LOA wait. As much as I would love to see it come any day now, I am also reluctant to get it knowing how much money we still need to come up with in such a short amount of time. I keep reminding myself that God is in control and His timing is perfect, so when He is ready, we will be too.

Please e-mail me at mmyag@comcast.net if you are interested and I will send you an invoice through paypal.


This is a 2 piece set and the ruffles are capri length. This is available in a size 2T and 3T. $25.00



This is a size 3/4 and is $35.00



This is a size 4/5 and is $35.00


This is a size 3/4 and is $35.00

Update

It has been a while since my last post, but things have been crazy busy here, plus my laptop hasn't been working right and that has put a damper on my computer usage. Our desk top was up on our bedroom which made it really hard to get on during the day so we moved it downstairs into the playroom which is nice. The kids don't really use the playroom anymore so it is getting converted into a home office/craft room which I am estatic about.

This summer has been crazy busy and is already almost over for the kids. Blake and Jaxon have football conditioning and practice everyday from 8:00 a.m.-10:00 a.m. but starting next week until noon. Blake has played football since he was about 9 and really has a passion for it. This will be Jaxon's first year, but I am certain he will do just fine.

After three years of being in casts, undergoing surgeries and being in physical therapy, Mylee is finally able to enjoy her summers in the water and at the lake. This is the first year she has been cast free in the summer and she is really making up for lost time. She spends every weekend at the lake in the water from the time she gets up until she goes to bed at night.





Another thing she is doing and has waited three years to do is ballet. She has wanted to dance ever since she saw Emma in one of her dance recitals, but because of her legs she hasn't been able to. The dance studio Emma goes to offers a 5 week class in the summer and Mylee is so excited to be taking her very first ballet class. She practices daily and is more than willing to show anyone who will watch.

Speaking of dance, it seems to be quite the trend in our house because not only is Emma (she takes the summers off) and Mylee taking, but Drew is taking a Hip Hop class and is loving it. It is right up his alley. He and the neighbor boy who is also 5 are taking it together. And if that wasn't enough, Blake and Jaxon will start a teenage Hip Hop class next week. Jaxon has been asking to take for some time but the dance studio didn't have an all boys class. Blake has wanted to take because he thinks it will help with football. So, after months of trying to put together a class, they will finally start next week. I know Jaxon is so excited about it. As a matter of fact, we have been hearing this thumping sound for quite a while from upstairs and could not figure out what it was. I finally figured it out the other day. He is watching dance shows on You Tube and teaching himself to dance at night. He doesn't know we know and I have no plans of telling him.

Gabe and Emma are just chilling this summer. Emma is working really hard to save her money for China. She has a "job" tutoring the little boy next door once or twice a week. He is 5 and she just thinks it is so cool that she is tutoring him. She has put together a notebook and even lesson plans for him. She would make a great teacher someday.

Gabe trying to make a fire with a toy magnifying glass. I think he sat there for at least 20 minutes before walking away. He did not give up because later that day he was at it again.


As of today we are on day 43 of our LOA wait. I was really hoping to have had it by now, but I just keep telling myself everything is in His time

As for me, remember this picture from a few months ago...



Well, I will be sharing all about it later this afternoon.

Here We Go Again!

Update: The fundraiser will end on July 22nd.


CALM DOWN, it's not what you think! As I was typing this blog title I realized that many of you would immediatlely think of something else, like bringing two home again. Sorry to disappoint, but not gonna happen. With all the bumps we have encountered this time around, we are just going to be happy to get Keliah home.

We are once again launching a fundraiser to help bring our daughter home. We recently found out that because of the exchange rate, alot of our in China fees and expenses have increased. For example, the orphanage donation has increased from $5000 to $5400. Now $400 may not seem like alot, but when you are looking at the big picture, it is HUGE!

We are fortunate enough to live in the same city as the corporate offices of Vera Bradley. Once a year they hold a sale at the colisiem and it is a big deal. People come from all over to go to this sale. It starts on Wednsday and goes until Sunday. Each day they do markdowns and by Sunday most things are pretty inexpensive. People started lining up Saturday night for the doors to open Sunday morning.

So, because of the sale I was able to score some pretty cool bags, purses, and accessories. I have been holding on to them knowing that I would use them as a fundraise and wanted to wait until the right time.

We found out on Monday that we have a LID of 6/13 (this means that China has received our dossier and has logged it in to their system) which was much faster than our agency expected. Since we are reusing our dossier there has been some talk that things may move faster, but nothing definite. So just in case things do move faster than expected, which would be awesome, we want to make sure we are ready to go when China says we can go.

This is gonna be a pretty big giveaway. Unfortunately we can't do a big ticket item like before, but the good thing is that not one, not two, not even three, but 11 people will have a chance to win one of the follwing gift bags below.








#1. This is the Buttercup pattern. This set includes the Honor Roll duffel bag, Tootsie purse, Please Hold wallet and the Make Me Up makeup bag. This would make a great set for a little girl or even a tween.





#2. This is the Purple Punch pattern. You will get the Saddle Up purse, Double Eye eye glass case, and the Compact Wallet.





#3. This is the Puccini pattern. You will get the Double Eye eye glass case, and the Taxi Wallet.





#4. This is the Bali Gold pattern. This set includes the Stephanie purse, Double Eye eye glass case, and the Compact Wallet.





#5. This is the Carnably pattern. This is the Stephanie purse, the Double Eye eye glass case, and the Euro Wallet.





#6. Make Me Blush pattern. This is the Reversible Tote purse, and the matching Taxi Wallet.





#7. This is the Call Me Coral pattern. This is for the Cha Cha Hadbag, and the matching Best Bud wallet.





#8. This is the Patchwork pattern. This is for the Medley Tote.





#9. Palm Beach Gardens Pattern. This is for the Pretty Tote purse.


#10. This is the Day and Night pattern. This is the Comin Up Roses Handbag and the matchin Best Buds Wallet.





#11. This is the Loves Me pattern. This is for the Comin Up Roses Handbag and the matching Best Buds wallet.



I know pretty cool, uh? These are some great bags for both big girls and little girls. Emma has one of the Tootise purse and Best Buds wallet and LOVES them. In fact, she was begging me to let her keep the Buttercup set, but backed off when she realized it was to bring Keliah home.

So, here's the deal. All you have to do is follow the instructions below and you will be entered to win one of these awesome prizes.

1. For every $25.00 donated, you will receive 5 entries!
2. For every $50.00 donated, you will receive 10 entries plus a free bracelet (pictured below) in your choice of color.
3. Post about the fundraiser on your blog, receive 3 entires!
4. Post about it on facebook, receive 3 entries!
5. Become a follower, receive 3 entries!

Please use the Chip In button to the right. I know there are some people who do not like or don't have a paypal account so if you would rather donate another way, please contact me at mmyag@comcast.net

Never Say Never

There are so many things I said I would NEVER do. There are so many things I said I would NEVER have. I am sure there were even more "nerve's" before I got married and had kids, but that seems like forever ago.

Shortly (5 days) after Matt and I got married he left for basic training. A few months into it he called with information about where his first duty station would be. I was thinking somewhere South, but was completely unprepared for the words that came out of his mouth. "I am going to be stationed in South Korea." My response was "I am NOT going to live in S. Korea. Matt's response to that, "well, that's good because it is an unaccompanied tour which means you can't go." A month after he let Korea, I was on a plane to Korea. Never say Never.



When Matt and I got married obviously one of the things we talked about repeatedly was the number of kids we wanted to have. I was good with two, one boy, one girl. After Emma came along I was excited that I had my one girl and one boy (I did still dream about my daughter in China). I remember seeing large families out and about and thinking why in the world would anyone want that many kids? How did they afford that many kids? There house must be huge with a family that size. Could they even afford to take their kids to Disney, because in my mind (at the time), every kid needed to go to Disney, they needed to wear name brand clothes, etc. Nope, not gonna have more than 2 kids.

When Emma was 2 I got pregnant with Gabe. Matt and I were really excited about adding ONE more to our family. We were certain that this was going to be it. We were done after this. Three was enough and probably more than we could really afford. We prayed for a healthy baby with 10 fingers and 10 toes, the sex didn't really matter since we already had one of each.

You all know the story from there. Mylee came home in May of 2008, Drew and Jaxon in May of 2010, and Keliah will hopefully join our family this coming fall. In three years we have gone from a family of 4, to a family of 7 (almost). Never say Never.



One of the other things I said I would NEVER do is drive a mini van, and there was absolutely NO WAY I was going to drive one of those big, humongous vans. We had an eight passenger conversion van when I was growing up and there was no way I was going to drive one of those things around. Nope, no gonna happen.

Last night we went from this...



to this...




It was definitely time. We knew it was coming and had been putting it off for some time, but now with Keliah only months from coming home, we needed to get a van that would fit all of us. So, we went from a mini van to this 12 passenger monstrosity. We have been looking for one in our price range for about 6 months, so when we learned about this one, we moved quickly because these vans are not easy to find (well, without paying $30,000). Once again, never say never.

The kids were so excited when they saw up pull in. We came home to get them and take them for ice cream because we knew they were going to want a ride. Drew came running out saying "whooohooo, yippeee, now we can all go to the lake." (We were driving two cars before) They have already staked out their seats. It is definitely going to take a bit of getting used to, but it is such a relief to finally have that decision making process over.

And as for the Never say Never, I would drive a bus if it meant that there would be no more children without homes, because NEVER is just a word, and families are forever.

Busy, Busy, Busy

Whoooo! Summer just started around here and we are already super busy. The kids got out of school on June 7. They were supposed to get out on May 26th, but we had tons of snow days to make up therefore they had to go into June. Let me tell ya, they were definitely ready to be done.

Blake and Jaxon have already started football practice (that started the day after school) for their FRESHMAN year. I cannot believe I am going to have not one, but two freshmen. Holy Cow, I am not sure I am ready for this.






Blake made his Confirmation within the Catholic Church in May. We are so proud of him and the young man he is turning into.


He also did the Juvenile Diabetes walk this year. We were not only proud of him for giving up his time, but for his friends as well. Between all of them, they donated over $100 of their own money. He definitely has some great friends.


This past weekend we had an adoption fundraiser to raise money to bring Keliah home. Despite the rain and storms we still managed to make a little under $900.00. It was pouring rain when we opened on Friday and ended up clearing out our front room to set tables of clothes in it. By early afternoon the rain had cleared off so things started to pick up a bit. We still have a ton of stuff left (we had several people donate) so I am loading it all up and taking it to friend's this weekend for their association sale. Hopefully we can get rid of lots of stuff.



Emma also set up a table at the garage sale. She is making some pretty awesome bracelets to help raise money for Keliah's adoption. Each bracelet is $6.00 and between friends, family, and the garage sale, she has already managed to make over 200 bracelets. She can whip up a bracelet in about 5 minutes or less.




I can assure you there will be more talk about these very soon!


Emma also had her dance recital this past Sunday. She did an amazing job and we are so proud of her. This year she only took ballet and really seemed to enjoy it. She will be taking ballet again in the fall and is excited to have Keliah join her. (We have video of Keliah dancing and i her interview she says that she wants to be a dancer when she grows up. I have already talked with the dance teacher and they are willing to let her start when she gets home if she wants).





Their song was "Somewhere Over the Rainbow"



Mylee is so excited because this will be her first summer since she has been home that she will not be in casts. She can enjoy the lake, and will be taking a beginner Ballet class this summer. She still doesn't have 100% range in her knees and ankles, but she has been begging to dance like Emma since she came home. She is over the moon excited and asks daily when her classes will start. If all goes well, we will sign her up for a year long class as well. Oh, she will also be in Kindergarten in the fall and is extremely excited and proud to tell anyone who will listen.

She will probably spending alot of time in the water this summer.



Gabe is probably the most excited about summer break. He does quite well in school, but is definitely not a big fan. He struggled in the beginning with reading, but once he got it, he got it. His teacher says he definitely has the mind of an engineer. She said he is very creative and that in all the years of teaching she has never seen a kindergartner come up with block creations like him. She said she thoroughly enjoys watching him build things out of blocks.

Once a month the school has a River Rally where they get the kids pumped up about learning, life skills, and award any outstanding students. They give the kids a special t-shirt if they are chosen and during the last River Rally, Gabe earned a t-shirt for having perseverance all year long. His teacher said that she was so proud of Gabe for not giving up when things got too hard. Instead, he would continue to work until he figured it out. He was very excited about this and we were extremely proud of him.



Gabe loves spending time at the lake.




Andrew will be going to pre-school in the fall three days a week and is so excited to finally be going to school like his big brothers and sisters. This little guy has so much energy and can be quite ornery at times. During Emma's dance recital there was a group of girls doing hip hop (they were about 5 or 6) and one little boy. Matt and I both looked at each other and said "Andrew." So, I think we are going to sign him up for a summer hip hop class which I am sure he will love. He loves performing in front on anyone who will watch.



Drew turned 5 in March and insisted on a Spider Man party!


So, as you can see we are kicking off the summer in full swing. I am sure there will very few dull moments in the house. We will be spending lots of weekends at the lake, which the kids love.


There's just enough room for Keliah to be in the picture next year.

Black and White Wednesday ~ Smiles

Jaxon has been home for just over a year now. This picture was taken the day we met him. I know for Matt and I were were so nervous. While we waited for Jaxon to arrive we were talking about whether or not to shake his hand, hug him, or just stand back and give a little wave. I remember at one point, I told Matt that I thought I was going to be sick because I was so nervous. This was a whole new journey we were about to embark on.

With all the emotions Matt and I were feeling, I can't even begin to imagine how Jaxon was feeling and thinking. When I look at this picture, I see a terrified, young man. I see bravery, and courage like no other. I see fear.





I used to love looking at this picture. This was taken while we were still in China, and I it was probably the first "real" smile we got from Jaxon. This was the picture I carried in my wallet, because of the smile. It took alot for him to feel comfortable enough to smile. We didn't get many smiles in the beginning and if we did, we had to beg for them.





This next picture was taken shortly after we got home. We didn't get a whole lot of smiles in the beginning. The ones we did see, were only because he didn't know we were looking. When Jaxon would be outside playing with the other kids, I would stand at the kitchen window and take pictures from the inside. I didn't want him to see me with the camera because I knew if he did, he would stop and come in.





In the fall we had our family pictures updated. We were planning on doing it anyway, but needed to for our updated dossier for Keliah. This smile was a little easier to come by. Jaxon definitely doesn't like to be the center of attention so having a photo shoot where he was the only one in the picture was a little awkward for him I am sure. But, I think it turned out okay, and he seemed pleased with it at the time.





This picture is by far, my favorite picture of Jaxon. This was just taken over Memorial Day weekend at the lake, so a little over a year later from the first picture. I definitely don't see any fear or nerves in the picture. He truly looks happy, he looks comfortable, he looks like he belongs in our family. This is a genuine, uncoaxed smile, which is something we see more and more of each and every day.





This past year has been full of so many emotions for everyone involved. I will be the first to admit that Matt and I were terrified of adopting an older child, especially a boy. But there was just something about his picture that gave me a sense of peace. I would look at his referral picture over and over and "know" that everything was going to be okay. I know that most of our family and friends thought we were crazy, and completely out of our minds for adopting Jaxon. But I cannot imagine our family without him. He is an awesome, awesome, kid.

We have good times and bad, but more good than bad. In the beginning there were several times that we were all in tears. He would say he thought he made a mistake in coming here, and we would do everything to show him that he hadn't. In the beginning I don't think actually, I am certain he wasn't sure if this was his permanent home or not. We spent several months assuring him over and over that no matter what, he was here to stay.

A few months after being home Jaxon and I were out somewhere together one day and he began to share with me his story, his background. Obviously that is something I will not be sharing, but I can definitely tell you that the word "courage" has a new meaning to me.

One of the things that I have wanted more than anything was for Jaxon to call me "mom." He has called Matt "dad" a few times, but I usually get a tap on the shoulder or a "hey." He has always referred to us as mom and dad with the other kids, but never directly addresses me as mom. I knew it would come with time, and was actually preparing myself that he would never call me or really see me as his mom. But on Easter Sunday, as I was making breakfast for everyone, I over heard Matt tell Jaxon, Blake and Emma to tell me thank you for their Easter baskets. I had my back turned to them. Blake came in first with a "thanks mom." Then Emma with a peppy "thank you mom." And then Jaxon with a low, mumbled, "thanks mom." I absolutely could not believe it. I was definitely not expecting it and had to do everything I could not to break down in the middle of the kitchen in tears. I had waited almost a year to hear that on little word from him, and honestly didn't know how to react. I did know, not to make a big deal about it. I just said "you're welcome" and continued scrambling the eggs, but I can tell you my heart was bursting inside.

Matt and I talked to several other families that had adopted older children, especially boys before we brought Jaxon home. We heard many different stories. We heard the good, the bad, and unfortunately, the ugly. We had prepared ourselves for the worst, and even discussed our breaking point if we were getting in over our heads. We knew Jaxon was our son, and were prepared to do whatever it took to make him feel that as well.

This past year has been full of goods and bads, but I think we would all, including Jaxon agree, that he is our son, and fits perfectly into our family. He is such a good kid. I remember when we were in China and Blake was back talking Matt. Matt looked at Jaxon and told him (though the translator) that he couldn't wait until he was comfortable enough to talk back to him. Well, that day came not too long ago, and as mad as it made both of us, behind closed doors we were relieved. I know it sounds ridiculous that we would welcome our child to talk back, but for us, it is a sign that Jaxon is feeling like he is truly a part of the family.

As I look back on this past year in pictures, the transformation with Jaxon is tremendous. I can only imagine what the next year will bring.

A smile is the light in the window of your face that tells people you're at home. ~Author Unknown