Our Number is moving again!!

I have been watching our agency's discussion board obsessively for any news at all.. the referrals have slowed down substantially over the past 8 weeks or so. 

 

We had been lingering somewhere around #4 but even after all of my lurking and cyberstalking ;) ..suddenly this morning, I looked at The List and I don't know if I missed the big, excited announcement post or what?! But!! There was a referral last week for a family with a DTE of Sept 24, 2010.. 

Our DTE is Oct 15, 2010... 

So we are moving on up!  :) That means......

We are big, fat, awesome number

 

By Toni F.

 

 

 

Woop woop~~

Holy moly, this may actually happen! 

We are mentally prepared to not receive a referral until closer to Christmas..  but this makes me think it could even be Thanksgiving.. Only God knows! But we are getting nearer to our Violet every day. And most certainly she is alive in Ethiopia at this moment, eating, breathing, sleeping, and waiting for us to come for her... 

I can't wait!

A Duo Grandpa Ribbon!

Fayetteville, Arkansas.. Pop and Papa!! :)

Plate Collage Project..

I want this in my dining room!
I love love love this plate collage.. the colors, the randomness, the sizes.. all of it!
Now I just have to find some plates...
the hunt is on! :)

Russian Ribbon!!

Moscow, Russia.. on the grounds of the Kremlin with Red Square and St Basil's Cathedral in the background.. this awesome pic is of Violet's Great-Aunt Carol :)

A hobby while I wait..

I've never considered myself to be a super creative or artistic person. Although I did enjoy art class in elementary school and junior high.. and I'm certain that my mom has a few of those "art" pieces saved somewhere in the attic :)

Lately though, I have really been craving an artistic outlet..
I can't explain it. I just need to create something.. anything!

So I've been cooking a lot more.. that has been enjoyable, in more ways than one! lol. Tonight I made Zucchini and Dill Farfalle Pasta, which was delicious, and an sweet-tart Plum Crumble. Mmmmm..

But cooking dinner isn't really cutting it as a "hobby"..

So today, I reached under our guest bed and pulled out my dusty old craft bin. I grabbed a semi-used box canvas, some acrylic paints, and went to town!
It took me several hours to figure out what I even wanted to do.. and I kept layering and letting that dry, and layering another color and letting that one dry.. until I finally decided what I would paint...
Prepare yourselves... I was going to paint.. a dog.
Haha.

What can I say? I was inspired by my little Westie, Coco.. and so today I officially became a total weirdo by painting a portrait of my pet ;)
But it was so much fun and I cannot tell you how relaxing and fulfilling it was to just simply create.
I highly recommend it!! And I think my painting turned out pretty cute, too!

A jazzy, little, pop-art, blue westie!
Awwwww..... I may even hang it up! :)
I've been trying to collect some cool paintings for a collage in our dining room.. this will perfectly diversify my current collection of flowers and landscapes.


I already can't wait for my next day off to paint something new!!

Violets in Bloom! Baby soon??

I'm probably really reaching here... but anything that encourages me at this point is unquestioningly welcome and good :) 

So after over 5 months of sad dormancy, my 3 violet plants, each purchased at different times (I basically just purchased another plant after the previous one stopped blooming), have suddenly and simultaneously bloomed! And the color is as vibrant and beautiful as can be!

Yesterday was our 10 month anniversary on the Ethiopia Wait List.. but it is our 32nd month of being in the adoption process.. so we're a bit spent and frazzled and ready for this baby!!

Right now through the end of September, the Ethiopian courts are closed but supposedly that is only for court and embassy dates.. maybe they will still be doing referrals?!? We're hoping so!!!!!!!!!!

We're still waiting for baby Violet..
but believing that these beautiful, sweet, little surprise blooms are God's way of saying, "Soon.."  :)

Auntie Gwyn's Graduation!

So proud of my little sis!

She graduated on Friday with high honors and her Masters Degree in Social Work!!

Auntie Gwyn and Uncle Robert

Mom/Grandma/Gogi, Dad/Grandpa/Papa, and Auntie Gwyn!!

Woop woop!! Well done!

The only thing that would make these awesome pics better is if I could throw a Violet Ribbon in there somewhere ;) 

Congrats, Gwyn!!!

Genius, Power, and Magic

I've heard bits and pieces of this awesome quote but have never had a face or name to go with it..


So here he is!!
The very dashing, fluffy-collared German Philosopher, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749-1832)..

And his words which have become known as simply
"Where commitment leads, providence follows":

"Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness.
Concerning all acts of initiative and creation, there is one elementary truth, the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans:

That the moment one definitely commits oneself, then providence moves too.
All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one's favor all manner of unforeseen incidents and meetings and material assistance, which no man could have dreamed would come his way.

Whatever you do, or dream you can, begin it.
Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it.
Begin it now."



Wow..
Inspired yet?? :)

By doug88888

The Violet Ribbon is enroute to Russia!!

Violet's future Great-Aunt Carol and cousin Paul are on their way to Moscow & St Petersburg..
Annnnnd they have a Violet Ribbon in tow!!
Woop woop! :)

So excited about our 1st Russian Violet Ribbon!

Russia..  Kremlin and Red Square, Moscow, Russia ( UNESCO WHS )

By jasmine8559

Pooh and Poo

I would looooove one of these diaper bags from etsy.com

They are a perfectly adorable and non-Winnie-The-Pooh way for me to carry baby Violet's necessities.

Nothing personal against Pooh..
But I suppose it all depends on the spelling really ;)


One is warm, happy, and cuddly.. the other: not so much.
In other words, you better have a fabulous bag in honor of it!
haha.

From belloberrydesigns

 

From belloberrydesigns

 

From retrofied

From retrofied

 

  

From retrofied

 

Wow.. clearly I have a thing for flowers and woodland critters! Such happy little fabrics :)

PS

My apologies to Pooh. 

You're actually cuter than I gave you credit for..

Exhibit A... as in A-dorable!

Pooh pic courtesy of By robleto

Bittersweet vanity..

Our house was built in 1928 and is super cute but super small as well.
Overall, this hasn't been much of an issue because it has really encouraged us to down-size, minimize, and really live more of a simplified life.
Its actually been a healthy and happy change :)

Two years ago, when we bought the house, we knew that storage was a premium.. holy moly is it a premium! Our bathroom has one small medicine cabinet and a tiny under sink cabinet that really just houses the plumbing.
Being in the beauty industry for the past 13+ years and also being a product junkie (what?! i can only simplify so much ;)  well, let's just say that my lotions and creams and powders and tonics needed a home and most certainly were not going to find it in that miniature bathroom medicine cabinet!

Enter my super-adorable, vintage style vanity that I personally and painstakingly transformed from a moss-green ugly duckling into this buttercream swan! :)

Ta-da!! :)  I'm so proud..

I have to say that Stuart has never been a fan of this vanity.. And if I'm being perfectly honest, I will admit that he actually loathes this vanity!
Seriously, when giving tours of the house, he will introduce the guest room as the room with the "hideous, piece of crap vanity"..
Nice.
I have no idea why or what his issue is with what is clearly sheer fabulousness!!
I mean, obviously this is not a man's piece of furniture in style or in function but it keeps my crap from cluttering the bathroom, bedroom, hallway, etc.. and that's all that matters. Oh and the fact that its freaking adorable!!


Now without getting too personal and weepy, we've had a recent close death in our family. In the wake of this, we have inherited a lovely antique vanity that was also a family heirloom. It is art-deco style, dark wood with a round mirror, and tiger wood drawers.. totally and completely different from my sweet little buttercream piece. But beautiful in a different way.. sentimental of course but also equally fab. I mean, its deco, people! ;)
I'm in the process of attempting to refurbish it. It has been used and in the family for nearly 100 years and was most recently used as a computer desk. So my work is cut out for me..

I will post pics of it as soon as the old one is sold on Craigslist.. right now they're both shoved into our mini-guestroom.
So hopefully my sweet, buttercream vanity will find a new home soon.. and for Full-Price!! :)
Then our guestroom will be receiving a much less girlie makeover. Trust me, Stu is out of his mind with glee.. I still love it though, don't you??
You know you want to buy it :)

What?! No Violet Ribbon pics this week??!?!?!

courtesy of  vesna-j

Boohoo! We've received no violet ribbon pics since last week :(

Sniff sniff...

Now that you are overcome with guilt!.. We would love any and all pics you can send our way! It doesn't need to be anywhere special.. just you and a violet ribbon and a big, fat, cheesy smile ;oD


Until then, I'll just be waiting patiently...
I'll be fine, really..
sniff sniff ;)

courtesy of  @jessewright

Accessorizing your pet.. Equally wrong & funny! But more funny.

I pretty much have to have a guinea pig now!! lol.  I love this!

Source: gas125.deviantart.com via Summer on Pinterest

But I don't think this would be nearly as entertaining on my dog..  Or would it?? Hmmm..
Photos may be posted later  :)

Simple Artsy Sweetness

I have to do this with an Ethiopia map! I think it would be so cute in a small frame..  A-dorable!

 

Source: maryruffle.tumblr.com via Summer on Pinterest