October is Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month

Today I have another amazing guest blogger today!  Since today is October 1st, I thought it would be great to have Jen, from In God's Time...Not Mine, visit us and tell us her amazing story.

Remembering Our Babies The Official Site of Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day October 15th

I just want to start with a huge thanks to Bonnie for letting me guest post on her blog. My name is Jen and I am the author of In God's Time...Not Mine.

I wanted to take a few minutes to talk about a topic that is often considered taboo: pregnancy and infant loss.
 
October is Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month; October 15th is actually Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Day.
 


Important News Update for October 15th
Here are some sobering statistics...
Every year in the United States:
* Approximately 2 million women will experience the loss of a pregnancy
* 154,051 children are born with birth defects
* 27,864 children will die before their first birthday
I unfortunately know these statistics all too well...
My story starts with my first pregnancy. My baby girl was born in August 2006.
Her name was Madelyn Rose and she was born full-term after a very long labor that resulted in a c-section. Everything went from happy to absolutely devastating the moment she was born.
She had very serious birth defects that were the result of a genetic condition called Pfeiffer Syndrome Type II.
She was whisked away to the NICU while I was being sewn up. About 3 hours after her birth and a very negative CAT scan of her brain (she had very little brain tissue), my husband and I made the hardest decision of our lives and removed her from the ventilator. We took her back to our room and held her until she passed away the next morning.
 It was a very hard recovery process both mentally and physically and a year later we found out that we were expecting another little one.
Around 7 weeks I started spotting and went into my doctor's office "just to be safe". I had an ultrasound and there was no baby, just a mass of cells.
The wind was knocked out of me and time just blurred together as we started talking about mutant cells, cancer and a D&C. I had my D&C on my husband's 29th birthday and waited anxiously for the results.
They came back in a couple weeks as a Partial Molar Pregnancy where 2 sperm fertilized one egg at the exact same time. It results in 3 sets of genetic material, which is why the cells went crazy. I had to monitor my levels until they went to zero and then we had to wait 6 months from then to try to get pregnant again.
We started trying again for a few months but weren't able to get pregnant and it was starting to take its toll on me. There wasn't anything wrong with either of us and we were still within the normal time frame for the "average" couple to get pregnant but it was so overwhelming.
We started to feel God's call to adopt.
We both always knew that we would adopt, we knew before we got married that adoption would be part of our family plan.
What we didn't know was the timing of when we would adopt.
We thought it would be after we had our biological children, but God had other plans.
In September 2009 we submitted our application to adopt a baby from South Korea. We were open to some minor medical conditions and only 6 months later we saw our handsome son's picture for the first time. B was perfectly healthy but had just recently healed from a broken arm so he was considered to have a special need. We just knew he was our son and, after waiting the obligatory 24 hours, we excitedly accepted the referral.
The next few months were filled with a lot of preparation and paperwork and by early July 2009 we knew we were getting close! Early July was also the time where I started to feel a little off. I wasn't sure what was going on so I took a few pregnancy tests and they came back negative. I was a little late but we were trying to NOT get pregnant per the adoption agencies guidelines. The morning of July 9th I awoke early and couldn't get back to sleep.
I slipped quietly out of the bedroom and took another pregnancy test. I kind of knew something was going on but was COMPLETELY shocked to see a faint 2nd line.
I wish I could say I was overjoyed but my first reaction was fear. We weren't supposed to get pregnant while in process and our son wasn't home yet; I was worried they wouldn't let us adopt him.
I ran downstairs and called my mom in tears.
She was overjoyed and I remember telling her that I suspected we would get our long awaited travel call that day. I woke my husband up at that point and told him our news. He was still home at 9:30am when our phone rang and it was our social worker telling us our son would be escorted home to us in 3 days!

 

 

B came home on July 10th and our son, Ry, was born March 8th. They are a little over 18 months apart but arrived into our family only 8 months apart.
It has been a wonderfully busy time and I wouldn't trade it for the world.
My two little boys are my world and I love them both so much.
For those who may be curious, I feel exactly the same about both boys regardless of how they became mine!

 

When Ry was about a year old we decided to start trying to have another baby. I found out I was pregnant in July and immediately went to my OB to monitor my blood levels. They were good for a week and then just slowed down. I went in for an ultrasound and prayed for the best. It was almost surreal being back in that same room where we received the bad news about the molar pregnancy.
The u/s tech started the exam and knew right away that something wasn't right. I should have been 6 weeks along and all she could see was an empty sac measuring 5 weeks, 2 days.
Hoping for the best but honestly expecting the worst, I went home and waited.
Four long days went by before I went back in for another ultrasound. It feels like I sat in that waiting room for 2 hours but it was probably only 5 minutes.
Finally got called back, gowned up and laid down. Anxiously waiting for the results, praying repeatedly "Please God, please just let everything be ok.
Please perform a miracle; please let my baby be ok!"
It wasn't.
Nothing had changed and my D&C was scheduled for the next day. In my heart I just knew that the baby was a girl and my doctor confirmed that at my follow up appointment. She was healthy, genetically speaking, so I will never know why I lost her.
Even today, my heart hurts for my 3 precious lost treasures: my precious Madelyn Rose, for the pregnancy that never was and for the baby girl who will never get to be born or grow up.
When we started this journey to parenthood, I never realized how hard it would be.
I knew women had miscarriages but I just didn't think it would happen to me.
I have lost 3 babies but I cannot wallow in the past.
I am choosing, instead, to focus on the future and on the family I have.
If I never have any more children, I will be happy with my two boys.
That being said, I do hope/pray that God will bless us again with a healthy pregnancy and baby.
I also hope that God will bring us another little one through adoption as well.
My plan sounds good but, as I have learned, it isn't up to me!

 

 

Wow…What a story!  Jen, our prayers are with you.  God Bless You!

Please stop by Jen’s blog today to leave her a nice comment.

Bonnie

Guest Post {The Scott’s Crib}

Hello!  How are you doing today?  We have been really busy lately, as usual.  I have been keeping my facebook fans updated but we have had broken bones lately including me breaking my foot.  I will write a whole post about what and how that happened as well as other things going on around the house.  Because I was not walking for a while, blogging has been slacking.  We also had crown molding installed and I love it.  I posted a pic here.  I also have been busing organizing too

Anyway, I have another guest post for you today! 

Meet Latoya from The Scott’s Crib!  She just became a new blogging friend and Shaklee Distributor so please welcome here!

Here is one of her recent posts…

Last week I showed you my barely successful attempt at hanging the thingy above my cabinets.  This week I am still working above the cabinets but I actually know the name of the product that I am working with this week, letters.

Yes, I am working with letters, glue, magazine clippings, and scissors. 

Hard stuff right? 

I pulled out all of my tools and got to work on my first grade art project. I had been eyeing this particular project on Pinterest and I finally decided that it's time that I stop pinning so much and actually do some of these projects on my board. 

This one seemed easy enough so I took it on.

via

 

I also had my eye on this one below but something about this one just didn't sit right with me.  I couldn't actually imagine putting real money on letters with some glue.  I mean we are in a recession and that change comes in very handy when time to mail a bill or put a quarter into the thingy to get a buggy while shopping at Aldi.

via

 

Now let's get into how I made these...

First off I brought the letters from Hobby Lobby for $1.99 a piece.  The rest of the stuff I already had at home.  I contemplated many different ways to get the look I wanted, one of which included spray paint.  My husband vehemently declares that I am a fake gangster because I like to spray paint everything so I told him that I nixed that idea and decided to use magazine pages and glue.  (Nanny nanny boo boo Mr. Scott!)

 

First, I decided to use colors similar to the color scheme I have worked up for the kitchen. Second,  I cut them up in various shapes and sizes.  I was really random and didn't have a precise method for this step.

 

Third, I put glue on it. 

Yes, I recognize these instructions are elementary sounding but how could I possibly make this stuff sound like rocket science?

 

 

Fourth,  cover the letters in whatever fashion you choose.

 

 

Last, let them dry overnight.

 

 

Now hang them wherever you like and enjoy!

 

 

Next week I am going to give you step by step instructions on how to build a rocket;) Just kidding, kidding... that rocket would definitely fall apart!

Thanks Latoya! Smile  Your letters look great!!!

Have a great day!

Bonnie

Dealing With Mature Landscaping

Our recent move has resulted in dealing with somewhat mature landscaping as far as the ornamental garden beds.  This presents a few problems.  First, we have no idea of knowing what spring or fall plants may be there so it is hard to consider those when it comes to replanting.  Second, any mature landscaping locks the gardens and even tree placement into the vision of the previous own, not you

Planning Our New Garden Beds

When we moved into our then new house a little over four years ago it was apparent that the was a lot of major work to do.  Unfortunately we spent much of those years ripping out garden mistakes as well as vegetation overgrowth.  We put that house on the market eighteen months ago so while we did garden maintenance, added mulch and a couple of raised beds we really did not get to reap the

Our Fall Tablescape {repost}

Good morning everyone!  Today, I am back with my fall tablescape!  I really liked how it turned out and I used it as my inspiration for my new fall header.

I LOVE decorating my tables.  So does my daughter!  I just say, “Grace, do you want to help me decorate?” and she comes yelling, “YEEESSSS!”  She is totally a little me, lol!  LOVE IT!

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We decided to do a very simple and nature looking tablescape today.

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She helped my with the pinecones.

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I just love the simplicity of it!

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I also love these dishes.  I bought this set at a garage sale for only $15.

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The kids loved smelling the cinnamon sticks with me.

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My baby wanted to throw the pinecones, lol!

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That’s ok with me as long as it is not a plate.

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I am really enjoying the straight lines of the plates and bowls.

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The centerpiece is also nature inspired.

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I used more cinnamon sticks, pinecones and acorns.

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I just placed everything into a rectangle platter along with this arrangement.

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I think they go well together.

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Here’s another view.

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And another.

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OK, last one!  I promise.

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So, there is my simple, nature-looking talblescape.

This is not too fancy.  Just simple and fun!

What do you use on your tables?

Have a great day!

Bonnie

Our Pear Tree


I was also thrilled to discover a pear tree on our new property.  It is a good sized tree, about ten feet high that was laden with large pears.  I think it is a Bartlett pear tree but will get a positive identification from the nursery.  Like the peach trees, the pear tree likely needs a bit of pruning.  I will be following the pruning guidelines for fruit trees by the Ontario Ministry of

Guest Post: Ring Around the Rosies

Good morning!  I am here today with another guest blogger just in time for fall! Smile

Say hello to Jaima!

Hey, y'all! I'm Jaima, and I blog over at Ring Around the Rosies!

Ring Around the Rosies

Today, I am going to share with you an old post of mine to inspire a little Fall creativity!

Believe it or not, the leaves are turning colors and the weather is already getting crisp here in Middle Tennessee! You can find the original post here. I hope you all enjoy.

But first, I have to give Bonnie a huge "thank you" for letting me guest post today! It is kind of unbelievable, actually. I don't remember where I first saw the idea, but in prepping for the cooler Fall weather, I decided to do a little decorating today!

I took this...

 

P7121969
(sorry it’s blurry, I forgot to take an actual “before” picture, so I had to take this one I took a few months ago when we had our condo for sale)

…and turned it into this…

How’d I do it?

I simply spray painted the flower pot with Rustoleum’s flat black paint. 

For the pumpkin, I decided what font I wanted using plain ol' Microsoft Word and printed it out.

Then I traced it on to wax paper and cut out the “S” with an exacto knife. I taped the paper to the pumpkin and simply spray painted it.

Next time, I will definitely hand paint the letter on, because as you can see, the spray paint ran a little. There's many ways you could do this though. I bought the pumpkin with a 40% off Michael's coupon. This way, I can pull it out year after year, but you could definitely use a real pumpkin too.

P9152544But, I must admit that overall, I really love the new look!

What do you think???

Thanks again to Bonnie!

Please stop by my blog and say hello sometime! 

Thanks so much Jaima!!  What a cute and simple idea!! Smile

Thanks so much for sharing!

Please stop by her blog today and let her know that I sent you!

Have a great day!

Bonnie

 

Our Peach Trees

We were extremely pleased to discover fruit trees on our newly acquired property.  The property itself is a smaller, subdivision sized with a good sized house and above ground pool.  This will place restrictions on how we can set up our gardens.  There are some established ornamental front and side garden beds and a good size (about 10' x 20') traditional bed for vegetables.  I will be turning

Coleus

Eons ago I first became interested in gardening as a child but a few years later my environmental science teacher hired another student and myself through the school.  Our job on the surface was easy, to help out with the greenhouse.  The real purpose of the job was to teach us how the greenhouse was maintained including all the operational functions.  I absolutely loved it!  I would spend every

Theme Inspiration: 15 Hallway decorating ideas!

Hallway is often the first place in your home that a visitor would see. Its a prominent part of your home and deserves some special focus too. This post has some unique ideas to decorate the entryway or hallway for an ideal first impression.

Designing and decorating hallway can be a challenge, specially because of its narrow area. However, good lighting, furnishing, wall art and accent pieces can make hallway a beautiful part of your home. Take time to look at these ideas and inspiration and brighten up this space.






























Designing hallway makes a great first impression! It gets a lot of use and deserves careful attention and planning. Having a cheerful, well decorated entryway will make walking into your home a pleasure and enhance the effect of your home interiors. Treat this area as special and put extra effort and creativity in decorating it!!
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