Archives for April 2017

You guys as always are crazy kind, loving, thoughtful and supportive.  Thank you for being so excited and thrilled for our friends the Carmans, Everett and us!!!!  We are all the luckiest to have these amazing little heart warriors in our lives.  Thank you for being in awe of Jesus right along side us too.  He really does write the best stories and deserves all the praise and glory.  Thank you for the kind comments, emails and for already helping us start to spread the word.  You will hear no less than 32 times about this fundraiser between now and Thursday, April 27th.  If you want to read about the party details again CLICK HERE.

Today I just wanted to share some of my current favorite Noonday items.  They recently released their spring line and I am soooooo excited to check it out in person at the party so a lot of these are new from their spring line.  I’ve been browsing today and wanted to share some of my faves.  If you cannot make the party in person, you can always order online HERE.  At checkout just double check that your ambassador is “Rebecca Daniels” and your hostess is “Laura Kelley” so the Carmans can receive 20% of your purchase for their adoption fund.

Let’s begin 🙂

I’m usually hard pressed to find earrings I just super super love.  I have very limited earrings, mostly which are from Noonday, but their spring line shocked me.  I picked out 7 different pairs I really really loved, one of which is already sold out.  Wah, wah!  I narrowed that list down to four to share with you.

Fringed Crescent Earrings; Peruvian Studs; Terrace Earrings; Metropolitan Earrings

Necklaces we’re up next.  Again, I try and limit my necklaces, but here I was again finding necklace after necklace I really loved.

Borderland Necklace; Chateau Necklace; Earthbound Necklace; Journey Necklace

Bracelets are always and forever my jam and I can never have too many of them.  Never.  Once again I found tons which need a home on my arm.

Damalie Bracelet; Ebb and Flow Bangles; Province Bracelets; Serawit Wrap Bracelet

Their bags are always hard to choose from.  Some of my favorite bags I personally own are Noonday bags.  The best designs!!!!  Here are two of my faves.  I’ve seen both in person and they are out of this world gorgeous.

La Bella Bag; Rustic Leather Tote

Noonday also has a crazy good sale going on right now.  Head over HERE to check it out.  I have personally purchased so many of these items for friends, family and myself.

And don’t forget right now Noonday has an added incentive for guests who spend $75 or more – they can get the Afloat Earrings and Matovou Bracelet for half-off.  If you’re interested in this offer just contact Rebecca at noonday.rebecca at gmail dot com and she’ll hook you up with the special.

Please continue to share this with all your people.  Mark your calendars and join us in person April 27th and bring a friend or order online HERE.  Such an extra special way for us to come along side the Carman family in their pursuit of their son along with other women and moms around the world.

Happy Thursday!

The day we met Shuai will forever be etched in our minds.  I tried documenting every last detail because time can be tricky sometimes and make you forget.  I did not want to forget anything.  Shortly after meeting him and having a little time together in our hotel room we headed back to his home to see where he had lived, to meet his nannies, staff, doctors, nurses and friends.  I was so glad his home was so eager to let us come and show us around.  What a gift it was to see his home and to meet the people who loved and cared for our son so well while we could not be with him.

Shortly after arriving the director expressed he really wanted to introduce us to Everett’s best friend.  We first met their nannies and staff and saw their room.  After looking around a bit more, the director finally took us down to the cutest little classroom full of the sweetest little faces all of whom had special needs of some sort.  He then introduced us to Everett’s best friend and shared he too had a special little heart.  I looked into his sweet little eyes and could see the concern and questions churning.  They had been together for a very, very long time.  I have video of them together and the director asking Everett, who’s your best friend and him trotting over to his special bud and pointing to him.  Everett’s book they gave to us is full of the sweetest photos and several are of them together.

Shuai was very timid and quiet upon returning to his home.  He didn’t say much and he held tight to Josh not wanting to get down.  Our translator stepped in when his best bud started talking and pulling on Shuai’s leg…”Come down FuShuai, come down.”  Josh knelt down and he talked more, “Don’t go. Don’t go. Stay.”  “Don’t go to America.”  Harper turned around and sobbed into my chest.  I immediately burst into tears and snapped pictures of these two precious friends and really brothers together.  We all walked out of that classroom and knew this special little boy could not stay here…even though he was so loved…we knew this kid was a game changer, but what would our role in his life be.  In my head I had already started trying to figure out if we could fit another bed into our house 🙂  We talked about Everett’s best buddy our entire trip.  Josh Kelley quoted him often.  He consumed my heart and one day like a whisper God planted a family in my mind…The Carmans.

Josh and Brooke Carman are friends of ours who started the process to adopt a son last fall from Nicaragua.  They actually found the only agency in Tennessee who we’re piloting a program to Nicaragua which was suppose to begin in January of this year.  I had never even heard of this agency 🙂  They had their home study ready and had sent off immigration papers…all your normal adoption paperwork.  We have tried to really encourage them along the way because the adoption process can feel very lonely at times.  Upon arriving home I told myself I’d give them like 2 days and then I sent a text to Brooke asking how the process was going.  She shared how the program launch date had been backed up to possibly May or June and mentioned if they got to that point they we’re going to probably start looking in other directions.  I asked if they’d considered China and then specifically mentioned this amazing little boy we had been privileged to meet.  I sent pictures.  I told her if they we’re interested I would gladly help them track down his file since I had made some connections with their home during our trip.  And then she agreed.

I might sound like a semi pushy friend at this point, but I just had this feeling I really believe was Jesus and sometimes you have to act on those feelings.  I reached out to my main connection at their home who said she could in fact help track down his file.  I connected her with Brooke and then I moved out of the way.  I told myself I would not ask Brooke about it again.  I didn’t want to be THAT pushy friend.  6 days later I received the most amazing text pretty much in the history of amazing texts.  Brooke said they had finally tracked down his file and she had just confirmed through the pictures I sent and the pictures in the file that it was in fact him.  And guess what agency he was listed with??!?!?!  Theirs!!!!!  After talking to their agency they told Brooke his file was actually supposed to have been sent back to China 2 days prior, but because of a computer glitch his file along with one other little girl’s had remained.

I about died.  Like, seriously almost died.  What in the world?!?!?  I just wept and sat there thinking “God is seriously insanely good.”  This didn’t mean the Carmans we’re in yet, but it took a matter of hours before they we’re already prepping their Pre-Approval papers for China.  Brooke shared they’re desire to move through the doors God wanted them to and it obviously looked like he was flinging these doors wide open.  They got their pre-approval just 4 business days later and we celebrated like there was no tomorrow.  These are the days not many people understand unless you’ve been there, but a pre-approval from China means, “Come on!  Fill out those papers and come get your boy.”  They had been given the big green light from China to start the process for their son.  It’s a huge day indeed and we wanted to celebrate with them.  We broke homebound rules, bought balloons and champaign and pizza.  We baked cookies and made rice krispy treats.  This sweet little one deserved celebrating.  His family was officially on their way.

God continued to fling doors open and just wow both of our families.  He made our jaw drop almost daily with what seemed like every last detail of this little guy.  I might have purchased the cutest tees in all the lands for these best friends and brothers to sport once they are reunited.  In the midst of a very trying time for our family with all the questions surrounding Everett’s heart this felt like a giant “I still see you!” from Jesus Himself.  These two would have each other again.  Our son will be reunited with his best little friend…the one he has been with for so long.

This little boy has brought a new joy to our family and he’s not even home yet.  I shared with Brooke I don’t wake up every morning thinking about Everett’s heart now.  I usually wake up thinking about his buddy.  We are smothering this kid in prayer along with his family…his dad, mom and two sisters…who are waiting so anxiously and working so feverishly to get to him.  I’ve looked back over my China posts and thought, “WOW!  The Carmans are going to walk this same road, wait for their son in the same building and look through the same set of doors to see his face for the first time in person exactly like we did.”  And then I lose my mind at how God so carefully and uniquely and amazingly orchestrates His will in us…His goodness in us.  He has reminded me yet again that His ways are far better then I could ever dream or imagine.

When I told Josh Kelley his only word was “Wow.”  When I shared with our big kids they all cheered.  Harper said, “They are going to love him.”  Everett looks at his book almost every day and points out his best friend and says his name.  Our family has mad love for this boy and we are cheering the Carmans on and praying like crazy people for the time to be quickened.  We’re praying for a smooth remaining process, a healed little heart and we’re asking how we can help.

As with every adoption we’ve ever done I’m hosting a Noonday Collection party for the Carman’s adoption fund.  Adoption has enriched our family like I never dreamed and heart kiddos pull all our heart strings and Noonday is always and forever my jam so it was inevitable this party was A MUST!!!  So mark your calendars for what is sure to be the greatest Noonday party of all time…I might be setting the bar a tad high 🙂

Thursday April 27th. 

6-8pm.

Our house.

No joke, tell every last person you know.  Share until you’re blue in the face…whatever that means…don’t die or anything.  Make it a fun girls night and bring your friends.  I will feed your face and you can drink wine or water…Jesus’ preferences 🙂 and laugh and I’ll hug your neck and we canbuy amazing Noonday products all the while supporting women across the globe…here and there…and the Carman family.  20% of sales will go directly towards their adoption fund.  This is like a win/win/win.  Triple win.  Added bonus…Mother’s Day is just around the corner.  And think about birthday gifts and end-of-the-year teacher gifts and “Hey I like you!” gifts and maybe a little something for yourself.

If you can’t join us in person, no worries.  As always you can order online HERE.  Just double check when your checking out that “Rebecca Daniels” is your ambassador and “Laura Kelley” is your host.  Right now Noonday has an added incentive for guests who spend $75 or more – they can get the Afloat Earrings and Matovou Bracelet for half-off.  If you’re interested in this offer just contact Rebecca at noonday.rebecca at gmail dot com and she’ll hook you up with the special.

As always we sit in amazement of a God who cares about the details…who orchestrates things we never could imagine and then allows us to experience His undeserving goodness.  Let’s rally around the Carman family together and help in this small way.  We’re all just holding our breath for this sweet little heart warrior to get here and to reunite he and Everett.  It’s going to be so good!

Happy Wednesday!

So Everett is hanging close to home all the time in hopes of getting him well and then keeping him well enough for his procedure next week.  We’re home pretty much all day, every day unless we have a doctor’s appointment.  I’m feeling a tad stir crazy and have really been sticking it to my free Amazon Prime this month, but we’re really really praying this procedure will take place.

Strict orders have been given to wash hands, don’t kiss Everett, don’t get in his face and don’t touch his hands.  I thought about Amazon Priming an economy size bottle of hand sanitizer and Lysol.  There’s just far too many little people going out into the world and then coming back into our house.  Ahhhhh.  And I’m not even a germaphobe.

In the mean time we’re trying to make the most of it.  Shuai’s favorite activity mostly consists of sitting on our countertops.  It’s pretty much where he perches most of his day.  He likes to be near me and apparently I live in our kitchen.  #shocker  All our good parenting rules, tricks and tips have gone out the window with this kid.  Here he is eating pie at 9pm the other night.  Sigh.

He also snacks…a lot.  Not sure he’s eaten a complete meal at our table with us yet.  He usually hangs out some, wanders around and grazes on his food.  I keep a little plate of half eaten Everett food.  He hasn’t had any milk at all until we went to eat lunch with Harper on her birthday.  He saw her milk box and just HAD TO HAVE IT!!!  Then he slurped the whole thing down.  When I was telling my SIL who is Chinese, she told me milk boxes are treats in China.  She said she bets that’s why he was so into it.  Well, the next day I bought milk boxes.  5 kids and I’ve avoided buying milk boxes and now here we are.

My BIL who teaches Chinese told us about Mandarin Elmo on YouTube.  I downloaded the Kids YouTube app and it was the sweetest thing ever watching Everett watching Mandarin Elmo.  Like, I teared up.  His disposition changed.  He was just super happy.  Josh and I we’re talking about how comforting it must have been to understand what they we’re saying…to hear his native language like that.  Needless to say, I let him watch it any time he wants.

He loves to play with blocks and cars.  They are his favorite toys.  He loves stacking the blocks crazy high and then knocking them all over.  And he really likes when Amon sets up his race track.  Everett likes Amon a lot and Amon is such a good big brother.  They are good little playmates and as suspected, Amon loves having a new bath buddy.  They get out ALL THE TOYS and bathe away.

If you haven’t noticed, we basically live in our PJs.  I mean, when you don’t get out much, what’s the point.  Ha.  Bonus:  PJs are comfy and Everett never objects to some comfy clothes.  He does love to wear his shoes though…even just around the house.  They complete his look.

We’ve been trying to get some fresh air still.  We’ve walked down to our little park a couple of times.  One time it was on Amon’s birthday and funny story, but I thought Amon was in our community center bathroom turns out he was crashing a bridal shower and scored everyone cupcakes.  Hahahahaha.  It ended up being a friend from high school and she was crazy kind to share.

Sidenote:  On the subject of cupcakes…the cupcake I ate was a blueberry cupcake with blueberry butter cream.  I do not even like blueberries, but I dare say this might have been the best cupcake I’ve ever put in my mouth.  So I sent my friend a message and asked where the cupcakes came from.  Turns out another friend from high school, Kristen, has a side baking business The Secret Is In The Sass and made them.  LOCALS listen up…you know how I feel about my baked goods, these cupcakes were crazy legit.  The blueberry one consumed my mind for hours…I just kept thinking about it.  Hahahahaha.  This is my mind you guys.  Anyways, if you need some super, crazy delicious cupcakes head over HERE and place an order.  Seriously, order them!  End Sidenote.

So in conclusion… 1.  If you need us, we’ll be home.  2.  Please continue to pray with us for Everett’s heart and that he’s healthy enough for his heart cath next week.  And 3.  You need THESE cupcakes in your life.

Happy Tuesday.

Harper and Amon’s birthdays are just 4 days apart so at the end of March we party pretty hard.  Harper turned the big ten this year and again, I found myself saying, “What in the world has happened?!?!?!”  All our kids just keep growing and getting older and while it comes with new challenges I am totally digging who our kids are becoming.  Give me all the big kids all day long.

Harper is our first double digit.  Josh’s dad said at dinner the other night, he couldn’t talk about it…in 10 years she’d be twenty.  I mean, she’s 8 years from being a technical adult.  8 years will go by in a flash because 10 sure did.  We call Harper our sanity.  She is so go-with-the-flow and she is mother hen to ever single kid in our family even Hudson and Solomon who are so close to her age.  In China, it was really starting to bother Solomon how lots people were taking pictures of him.  At one point Harper told Josh and I how she could tell it was really bothering him.  We then watched as we traveled from place to place when someone approached Sol to take a photo, Harper would wrap her arm around his neck and push on past the people without even giving them a glance.  She was like his personally body guard.

Don’t get me wrong, she can fight hard with those brother’s too…crazy hard, but she loves harder.  She is absolutely smitten with Amon, Everett and our littlest.  They all get kisses and hugs before she leaves each morning and often she uses her own money to buy them treats at the store.  She has cried bucket loads over our littlest.  She sees her pain and sadness and longing for her biological parents and it crushes Harper’s heart.  Despite Harper wanting her to be her real sister, there is no one who wants our littlest to be reunified with her first family more than Harper Kelley.

Harper is fun and kind and creative.  She loves to draw and paint and color and create anything and everything.  Rainbow is still her favorite color…hence this year marked her 3rd rainbow birthday door.  She’s growing older and her likes are changing from dolls and Polly Pockets to clothes and music and her friends.  She ADORES her friends.  Want to speak her love language…just let her have a friend or cousin over and she will love you forever.  She Facetime’s weekly with her friend Zoe from church who she always sees Wednesday and Sundays 🙂 and gives my phone number out regularly.

She loves to learn and read.  She loves when her teachers give projects and she is crazy independent…maybe comes from the 1st born territory.  She’s a thinker and asks questions.  She likes to be in the know…which I sometimes term “nosey” 🙂  She loves to watch movies and go hiking and build with Legos.  Harper is always always always up for any kind of going and doing.  She loves sending and receiving mail which I madly love.  She writes letters all the time and is the kid who wrote a thank you post card to a friend of mine for a pie 🙂  She loves ALL things sweet forever and ever amen.  She’ll bake up cookies or cook pancakes any chance she gets.

She organized and yet not.  The only thing she asked for for her birthday was a planner and every few months we have to take a whole day to clean out her desk.  She keeps all the paper things.  She’s shockingly great at letting go though and can logically think through keeps, donates and trash.  In January she went through all her doll stuff and individually bagged each outfit with accessories and then said she was ready to donate them.  I died a little, but also LOVED that she was so thoughtful in bagging them all up and giving them away.  She still loves to play school with her brothers and they each have their own homework folder of their work in her desk drawer.

She sets an alarm each morning to get up.  She loves her sleep…she’s pretty much the only kid in our family who really knows how to sleep in.  She’s funny and silly and has the best laugh.  She knows she has a voice and she uses it often for justice and love and fighting and jokes and singing songs and for sharing her feelings and compliments.  She knows each person in our family so well and uses it to build them up.  The other morning I heard her compliment Josh on how green our grass was getting…filled his love tank right up.  Again, don’t get me wrong…she is far from perfect just like the rest of us.  She documents life on her camera ALL THE TIME so we got her a instax polaroid and she was head over heels.  It was a total surprise and she loved it!!!!  Harper is a whole lot of fun and love mixed together.

For her birthday she did not waiver for a moment.  She knew exactly what she wanted.  Rainbow waffles for breakfast and chocolate chip cookies to share with her classmates.  Everett and I HAD to eat lunch with her at school so she could show him off to all her friends.  She wanted to eat dinner at church since her birthday fell on a Wednesday.  We let her plan dinner the next night and she went with grilled hamburgers, chips and strawberries plus Funfetti cupcakes and mint chocolate chip ice-cream for dessert.

Since she was turning the big 10 Josh did an extra birthday activity with her and took her hiking on an overnight trail in Montgomery Bell Park.  Uncle Andy and her cousin Meiya joined them making it even more up Harper’s alley.  We heard all about it and apparently they had the best time.

For her family activity she chose the movies, so yesterday I took Harper, her friend Zoe, Hudson, Solomon and Amon all to see Boss Baby (soooooo funny & good) and then to eat lunch at Steak n Shake.  Milkshakes all around.  They had too much fun.

Oh Harper Kelley!!!  You are a good one indeed.  You made me a mama and have filled our lives to the brim with love and goodness.  You have a heart to watch out for.  You are a world changer.  You have got a fire burning and I cannot wait to see what all God has in store for you.  You are strong, brave and fierce and I could not love you one ounce more.

Happy 10th birthday!