I have made my decision!

Thanks to those who did comment and let me know they would stick with me if I move completely. I will be moving all posting to our other blog that chronicles our journey of adoption. That is a big part of our life now and it will continue to be. So, if you want to find out what's new with us visit here:

http://vietnambabygirlsmith.blogspot.com

As much as I hate to leave this beauty of a blog template, it is going to make it easier on me and it seems that you guys read the other blog too! I will continue to post on decorating, my God, family news, life in general, and of course, our journey to our sweet girl through the miracle of adoption. I hope that you will join us there!

Gorgeous Fabulousness & a Poll !!

Please visit my other blog HERE to see some things I am considering for the nursery.

Also, I am going to take a poll in my comment section so please comment if you are reading this. If you read this blog, do you also keep up with our adoption blog? I am having the hardest time deciding on whether or not to combine them. I want to share everything with everyone but some may not care to hear about adoption detials and some may not care to hear about God, our life beyond adoption, crafting etc. I do not want to lose any readers from either blog! Your help in this matter will be greatly appreciated!

Just comment with a yes or a no as to whether or not you keep up with both blogs. This will help me to make a decision on the blog combination thoughts!

A good time at the lake!

God has blessed us with GREAT friends and GREAT family. Yesterday, we got to enjoy both! We usually get out on the boat a couple of times in the summer but yesterday was the first time we have been able to go this year. I forgot how much I LOVE it! Hopefully, we can get a few more outings in this year. Our niece Breah was able to go and all things are so much more fun with a joy filled child in toe! Brandon's Dad took us out and we swam around for a little while then rode the boat straight to dinner. We have a restaurant that we go to that is right on the water. I just think that is so much fun. I have put together a slide show so that I could share our good times with you guys! Enjoy!

Vwahh lahh!!

At least when you sound it out...that is the way it sounds like it should be spelled :o)
I forgot to take before and after pictures but I painted our dining room table about a month ago. Surprisingly, I painted the chairs with spray paint and it worked. The table was done with a $5 gallon of Behr paint. Yes $5...a deal that I was lucky to get! Brandon's Mom and Dad gave us this table a little over a year ago when they got a new one. We were very thankful and decided we would like to put our own little spin on it! I have seen a lot more black furniture around and thought it would be great to try it in our dining room since our fixture is black. I have managed to find a before picture in a previous post (kinda...people are in it) and an after picture at my friends Jill's new BLOG. Go check her out and give her some comment action if you would. You know how it is being a new blogger, you think no one is reading due to little to no comments and you wonder if you are just blogging for your pleasure alone! :o) Anyway the after picture has the diaper cake on it so just ignore that and take a look at how it turned out. If you have been thinking about painting something, I encourage you to give it a shot. I was nervous, but my table turned out better than I could have hoped for!

Before


After


Also, if you have not visited within the last couple of days, go to my previous post! Check out my blogfolio for my Holiday decorating business! I will be posting a giveaway for a Christmas in July wreath within the next couple of days so check back!

A Sneak Peak

Go HERE to take a look at my blogfolio! This upcoming year will be my second year working my Holiday decorating business, Decobrations. I will start as early as mid October and not finish until the second week in December. I am trying to get ahead on marketing my services. I would love to have my calendar booked by mid October. I will be sending out emails and snail mail marketing pieces to last years customers and potential customers. There will be an incentive for referrals and early bookings! I have not gotten all of my work up yet but I will within the next couple of weeks. I hope you enjoy the sneak peak! If you know someone in my area who might be interested, please pass this information along!

I made a deal with God this morning and he came through!!!

Yep, you heard it! I made a deal with God this morning. Not because I planned to, it just happened. Plus it was early in the morning and when it's early in the morning, I am a teeny bit stubborn. I have heard all of these stories about people praying to God to help them wake up at a certain time without their alarm clock so they could do their quiet time in the morning before starting their day if he really desired for them to do it, and he did. I never believed those stories for a second. Well, I must have a little because I decided to try it myself. I did not go as far as without the alarm clock but I did do some dealing with Him.

Last night, I set my alarm clock 30 minutes early with one intention. The intention was to get up and start the day with the Lord. As my goal is to do this much more consistently. Well, the alarm went off at 5:15 and of course, I pushed snooze. I decided if I just let my hair be curly (no blow drying no straightening), I could sleep in a little longer and still do my Bible study. Well I pushed snooze a couple of more times and at 5:39 I decided to put him to the test. I made a deal. I said "Lord, if you will help me wake up without the alarm at 5:45, I will get up, come spend some time with you and dive into your word." If I woke up that way, I would know it really was meant for me to get up and do this early morning thing. What happened next you may ask, or did my blog title give it away??? I woke up by myself at 5:47. "Close enough," I thought to myself, and I got up and held up my end of the bargain. It was rough but I did it. I would have been really good to get up a little earlier but hey, it is a work in progress.

Now, I just have to do this all over again for 20 more days to make it a habit. I might have some inspiration coming soon. Not that, a more intimate relationship with Christ and a consistent Bible study time is not enough. Let me explain.

For my birthday in August, I have asked for two things...

From Hubby: some sort of soft comfy sofa chair with a foot stool (it can come from a yard sale or Good Will as long as it is clean. I can always cover it with a blanket)

From Mom & Granny: a porch swing

My ambition for these items are in no way selfish. It is my attempt to give myself a "cozy place." I can get up and go to either place depending on the weather. There, I will start my day with the Lord, Beth Moore (or whoever I am doing Bible study with), & coffee. My quiet time has never been consistent and mostly never quiet. Sometimes I do it in the car while Brandon is driving us to work but that means Ralph from talk radio is my quiet time serenade. Sometimes I do it in our bed while Brandon is working on his school work or coins or something like that but that means I am in a hurry so I can go to sleep cause odds are I am not doing it before 10pm. Some days..I do not have my quiet time...I know, I know...shame on me! Don't worry though I am working on it!

So how about you, tell me about your quiet time. What works best for you? Do you have a cozy place? If not, what is your idea of a cozy place?

Back Yard Bible Clubs

This weekend, Brandon and I participated in back yard Bible Clubs with our key group at church. We hit the inner city of our town! It was lots of fun and the children were precious!