I finally did it!

My husband is so proud! You see, he is a garage saler, dumpster diver, pull-over-on-the-side-of-the freeway-to-get-something-you-think-is-worth-dying-for kind of man. Me, not so much. I have never been one for garage/yard sales, I hate places I have to dig through stuff to find what I want (Ross or Marshalls), and I would rather do just about anything other than pulling over on a freeway, or better yet, exiting the freeway and making a huge, out-of-the-way U-turn, to check out something I saw on the shoulder. That is until I started checking out all of the awesome decorating blogs and discovering that they are finding some incredible "junk" on the side of the road and various other places. I have been frequenting our town's new Goodwill store to find some of the best stuff! I can't believe it. The other day, they had a totally to-die-for goldish velvet sofa. I know it sounds hideous, but it really wasn't. Velvet is probably not the right word for the material. It was soft and pretty. It was so warm and inviting looking. I would've bought it right then and there had it been a love seat, since I am in the market for one. I'm pretty sure it was marked under $50! UNBELIEVABLE! That baby didn't last long. It was gone the next time I went in there a couple of days later. Last week, I made my husband so proud. I actually pulled over, stopped the car, and got out to get something someone left for the Waste Management guys to pick up!! I'm gonna make you wait to see what it was so I can take some before and after photos, but I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw it was in the trash. I'll be very disappointed if said item doesn't work, but my man doesn't see why it wouldn't! (grin) I'm so proud of myself! I can't wait to see if it works, and what it will look like after I spray paint it.

We moved into this house when I was just about 8 months pregnant with Emma. With all that has occurred since our move, I haven't been able to settle in like I would have liked. So now that things are starting to settle down somewhat (everything is relative), I have been itching to get the house more in line with our family's needs. I rearranged my den the other night. Kelvin just shook his head when I started the project at 10:30 p.m. I saw him kind of chuckle at one point, and I knew he was up to something, but he wouldn't admit it. The next day I knew what happened when I saw his post on Facebook about not understanding the female mentality. Thankfully, most of his comments were in my favor! :) I plan on reclaiming possession of my formal dining room in the extreme near future, and making the breakfast nook where we currently eat into more of a lounging area with a love seat or two chairs and a coffee table where the kids can spread out and do homework or we can sit and read the paper the laptop, a magazine or book and enjoy our coffee, hot tea or hot cocoa. The space is just too cramped now with our bar stools and table and chairs, especially since we're adding another little body to the table now. I'm also going to get rid of at least some of the doors in the back entry/laundry/half bathroom. It was definitely a man who designed that space with all of those doors. He was surely not thinking of how irritating it would be to open one door, close said door so you could open another door to go to the bathroom, and then do it all over again! It. makes. me. crazy! So, I want to replace the current doors with something like this...

...which will match the doors going from the kitchen to the dining room.

I hope I'm not boring you. I'm just excited about focusing on a project or two. Sometimes the whole home decor thing seems a tad bit frivolous to me, especially in light of our past couple of years of loss. But somehow, God seems to be using the decorating blogs I've found lately to bring a newness, a hope that there may still be a silver lining behind every dark cloud. I know it sounds pretty goofy, but I guess the new found excitement for decorating and crafting is taking my mind off the continual grief and almost suck-the-air-right-out-of-me pain. The past week or so we have been trying to pick out a design for Emma's cemetery marker. Things like these seem to set me back a few steps. There is nothing I like about the cemetery...not yet. It is not peaceful for me. It only makes me cry. I got angry when I went out on Tuesday afternoon to put out some new flowers for Lori since the next day, November 10, marked the 11th anniversary since she was taken from us. I was under the mistaken impression that our family owned the spaces surrounding Emma. The person in front and slightly to the side has friends who must have thought it would be a good idea to smoke a few cigars and leave the butts on his marker spot. I didn't think it was very appropriate or polite. I understand everyone grieves in their own way, but really, clean up after yourself! UGH!! The dumbest things irritate me, I know. I am a "less is more" kind of girl, but the people next to our family at the cemetery are of the "more is more and crazy tacky" mentality. Not only do they have a ginormous high back bench, they have the gaudiest flowers attached to the top of it! Have mercy! I hope I have not offended anyone with my ranting. It feels good to vent.

Today Carleigh and I went to my friend's baby shower for the little girl they are adopting from China. Her name is Libbie Lin, and she is precious. Her birthday is next month, and they were hoping to get to bring her to her home to her forever family then, but the travel window they've been given currently is late January to early February. My friend is a little bit disappointed, but knows God't timing is perfect. I'm still praying that if He sees fit He will open the doors for them to go get their sweet little one in December. I was totally excited and proud of myself for thinking of the idea (even at the very last minute) of decorating a cute little canvas bag to put Libbie's gifts in. I think it turned out adorable, if I do say so myself. Of course, my scatter-brain forgot to take a picture of it before we gave it to my friend. Maybe she'll take a picture and I'll be able to share it with you.

Have a wonderful weekend. I would love to hear from you. Your comments are always appreciated. :)