Finding Balance...

Learning to say "no", or "I cannot this time"....

You'd think it would be easy, but for me? It's not.

This entire year...this whole year of roller coaster land and adoption and Russia...

I have had to say "no" or "I can't" or "maybe next time" many times this year. Not that it's not apart of everyday life and interactions anyway. It is for the most part....sometimes the answer is simply "I cannot this time".

But this year? It's been a fine balance to try and figure out. Early in the year we had so much hope and promise and then so much uncertainty and not knowing what was going to happen...or when we were going to travel for that first trip....or IF we were going to even get to travel.

And yet? Here I am again....not knowing when we are going to travel and not knowing when we will get "the call" about "the date"....

It's meant saying "no", or "I cannot this time", or "not this year" to different events, holiday bazars or shows, possible 5K's or races I otherwise would have liked to do.

I am OK with it...for the most part. It's just so hard to try and plan events or holiday celebrations or even promote my little Etsy shop without worrying about committing to too much. Yet, at the same time finding that balance of not just stopping and pushing that pause button on life, which oddly enough, doesn't exist. I sometimes wish I had a pause button....alas I do not.

Mainly, it's hard with Christmas right around the corner. Yes, my daughter is in Russia, but my son is here with us. Balance....

How to make sure he is taken care of and holiday celebrations continue....and life is not put on hold...and at the same time, plan for what could be in just a few weeks or possibly a few months.

Limbo....uncertainty....balance....

It will all get worked out....it's just not so easy is it?!

Super Star!!!

Mellie...my niece. I adore her.

Not too long ago, when we were having one of our crafting days together, she said she wanted to make something to help bring Songbird home.

She was eyeing some buttons. My square and star buttons.

I poured some out for her and let her just use her imagination to design whatever she wanted with them.

And she did....she designed some fabulous Super Star Button Rings!

I love them. Whats more...I love watching how she just get's an idea, sees some inspiration in whatever it is that sparked her imagination and then just creates!

So, the new from Little Bird and designed by Mellie Super Star Rings and now in the SHOP!

Vintage Dictionary Pendants

New in the shop: Vintage Dictionary Pendants!

A new collection of vintage dictionary pendants called "the fruits of the spirit" are now listed in the SHOP!

Is there a word you'd love to see in the shop?!

Not Just About Me

I have a heart for adoption. A HUGE crazy heart for orphans. Orphans all over the world, but for me, the place God has placed on my heart is Eastern Europe.

Since I was a little, little girl I knew Eastern Europe was somehow going to be a place that I was involved in when I grew up. A place I had heard about....heard about children that needed care. That needed families. That simply needed. Orphans.

And I am going to go out on a limb and say this....it's not just about adoption. Yes, children all over the world are in need of homes and people to truly love and care for them. But, what about the ones who never find their forever homes? Their forever families? What about the ones that age out of the system?

They have little hope. No where to go and no one to reach out to. These children, these orphans, are targets . Targets for trafficking, for drug and alcohol abuse...and so much more. I don't like to think about it, but I cannot help it.

It's my heart. My heart to reach out and do something more. Yes, we are adopting a little girl and yes, we know that is our calling at this time. But, we know we are called to do more...

Orphan care. Former orphans...children aged out of the system. What about them?

I started making coffee cuffs last year and also have made them for other families adopting from different countries. I LOVE, love being able to help out others with a similar calling. Those answering the call to adopt. And through that, I realized this adoption journey? It is not just about me.

So not just about me. I want to help others. I want to help these children that do not have a forever family and a place to call home. A place to be loved.

So, I have made up three different Coffee Cuffs. All three are countries in Eastern Europe: Ukraine, Kazakhstan and Russia.

For each coffee cuff sold, I will be donating half the proceeds to an organization that is devoted to helping these children. These aged out orphans.

The organization I have chosen is called The Harbor. You can find out more about them HERE.

These Coffee Cuffs will be making their debut in the SHOP next week. "Design Your Own" will be available for these as well.

These will be available in the shop until Dec. 1st. Then, not again until the New Year.

Will you help spread the word? What is your calling or God sized dream?