Sanity Savers for the Future

Happy Friday!  

For all the mamas and future mamas out there, enjoy this list of sanity savers.

(Click the image below if it is too small for you to read and it should get bigger)

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I'm told that motherhood isn't always willed with sanity.  I'm told it doesn't always look like below.  I'm told there is a lot to learn, as some of you informed me in 

July's "What I wish I knew" post.  

(That is still on of my favorite posts of all time, by the way--thanks to all who joined in)

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All motherhood moments will not be like the blissful images above, especially with adoption.  But I have a feeling that when I least expect it, after a long sleepless night or a frustrating day, little moments like this will sneak in.  They will surprise me.  They embrace me in a hug of giggles or squeals.  Hope you all have weekends full of happy little moments of your own!

Much love,
Future Mama

Our September Date

Adoption involves a lot of waiting!  To help pass the time, I planned 12 dates for my husband and I.  Some are goofy, some are sweet, all are inexpensive (many are free).  You can read about our past adventures, like our August date, here!

We love our puppy.

Even though he is not really a puppy anymore!

Dasher will be turning two next month and while he is certainly a frenzied ball of energy (the product of my MIL's curse), we still love him.  In anticipation of pretty fall weather I planned a "Doggie Date" for the month of September.

So when September 1st rolled around, Future Papa opened up the date card and found this inside:

Well, the month of September was a pretty busy one (didn't it just fly by?!), so we didn't get around to our fun date until this past weekend.  Pretty soon after leaving our home, we were greeted by two deer, which Dash loved watching (and I found them to be much less scary than the bear).

They weren't blurry in real life...I just cropped the picture too closely ;-)

We then went for a pretty walk through our historic downtown and settled at a cafe for a breezy lunch out.  What a treat!  Children played and drew on the ground with chalk.  There were other dogs lounging by their families' feet.  The weather could not have been nicer.  

As I mentioned in this post, my camera has been eating my pictures, so these are the only ones that survived.  I had some cute ones of some other dogs enjoying the cafe and the adorable children with chalk, but the camera decided to gobble those up.

Excited to see what is going on.

Watching the kids play nearby

Delicious!

Happy dog, sitting like a frog.

Afternoons like these are ones that I love in the now, but they also fill me with dreams of the future.  Looking at all the other young families, I can imagine us sitting with our future child, enjoying life's little pleasures, playing with chalk, petting our dog, and grabbing a bite in between giggles.  Will it be this time next year?  Only time will tell...

How about y'all?  Go on any fun dates this month??

Much love,
Future Mama

Have you seen this commercial?

**warning, likely to bring about happy tears**



A normal Sunday afternoon.  I'm grading at the coffee table.  Future Papa has some football on.  Halftime.  Commercials.  This commercial plays.  I had seen it before, just once, months ago, but never with Future Papa. The poor boy--he didn't know what was coming and how fast a perfectly happy Future Mama could dissolve into tears.  Isn't it the sweetest thing?  And whoever said only pregnant women are affected by pre-baby hormones?  Goodness gracious, I'm excited to be a mama!

Much love,
Future Mama

Only a couple days left!  Shop Hannah James this month!  Hannah James {etsy} or Hannah James {storenvy}.  50% of the profits help bring our darling home.  And 50% of the profits help bring her darling home.  

Taiwan via Pinterest

I got on Pinterest.

I typed in "Taiwan."

The following appeared.  Happy sigh.

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Is it possible to be in love with a place you have never seen?  Because I think I am in love.  Wow.  What an adventure ahead of us.

Much love,
Future Mama

With a little pink heart

With a little pink heart

and an armful of love, 

I introduce to you

a pretty little site that just got a fresh makeover:  

Leaves of Love!

Her pinky blush makes me smile.  

The pop of green reminds me of crunchy grass under bare feet in the spring.

And to go with her new look, she has a new Etsy Shop!

Her own little spot on the internet to whisper her story and sell her art, with the prayer that it will help create families, share love, and spread some smiles across a world that surely needs them.

She currently features trees with branches in the shape of hearts, Africa, and Taiwan.  A China tree is in the works.  Any other ideas?

So, have you checked out Leaves of Love lately?  Will you pin one of her little trees onto your Pinterest boards?  How about sharing her link on Facebook?  Or, maybe you have a blog that can hold one of her buttons?

I bet you would make her smile and make her feel special if you did.

Much love,

Future Mama

Craft: I love you because

This weekend I made a romantic little craft for our bedroom.  Easy, cheap, and only took me about 30 minutes.  That's my kind of project!

I was inspired by Kiki Creates' "I heart you because" print, pictured below.

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When the print is in a frame, you can write a little note with a dry erase marker on the glass and then simply erase it when a new compliment pops into your mind!  It's a sweet sentiment encourager.

Ready to see my version?

I took a half-dozen really cute pictures, but when I put my camera's memory card in the computer it told me that my card has been corrupted :-(  So all I have left is this picture, with the sad little gray line at the bottom.

Here is how I did it.

1.  Go to your local craft store and buy a sheet of scrapbook paper that will fit into your printer.  I bought several, because I wasn't sure which I would like best...or how many times I would mess up!  Try to pick a piece that is not too busy or dark, so that your words will pop out from the design.

2.  Get on your computer.

• Open a word document.  Click insert, then shapes, then draw a square.  Right click on the square, click format auto shape, click size, and then make it slightly bigger than the size you want your print to be (I made mine 5.05 x 7.05).  Click ok.  Then, right click the square again, click format auto shape again, click layout, and select behind text.  Click ok again.  Now, all you need to do is type your message in your favorite font and center it in the box!

3. Now that you have your image, print it on your scrapbook paper, cut along the lines, and frame it!

Or, if you are totally not crafty, check out Kiki Creates to buy one of her versions of this craft.

I set ours in our bedroom and placed a dry erase marker behind it.  I think seeing it there will encourage me to write down all the little things I appreciate about my husband more often.  Hopefully he will notice the pen and do the same!

Ta da!  I would say easy as pie, but in my experience, making a pie is not easy.  Unless you are cooking a frozen one.  So how about easy as slice and bake cookies?!

Have y'all made anything lately?  I would love to hear about it!  These little crafts are keeping me busy as we wait for our little one.

Much love,
Future Mama

Cuteness for the Day

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Is there really anything more to say?  Heart flutters.

Happy weekend y'all!!

Much love,
Future Mama

Shop Hannah James this month!  Hannah James {etsy} or Hannah James {storenvy}.  50% of the profits help bring our darling home.  And 50% of the profits help bring her darling home.

An Update on the Wait

Time for an update on how the waiting has been going lately.  Looking back, I've been a bit all over the place on this topic.  It began with What are you waiting for?, then dove into my struggles with patience (with funny pictures).  Next came a post on settling in to wait, this one and this one on His Hands' referrals, this one on date ideas while waiting.

I am still a bit all over the place when it comes to this.  Some days, the wait is breezy.  I check things off my to-do list and I enjoy quiet evenings with the hubby.  Life is happy and sunny as we enjoy the present with the future in the back of our minds. 

Other days, it's tough.  As many adopting parents can tell you, it can be nearly unbearable at times.  I surf adoption blogs for hours, I watch adoption videos, and the ache in my heart nearly tears me in two.

So what helps on those days?  I turn my worries into prayers.  As soon as I catch myself in a world of what-ifs, I turn the "whens" and "who will my baby be" into conversations with God.  I pray for our child's current mother, who may be pregnant, scared, confused, or abused.  I pray for our wisdom and preparation for not just the adoption process, but for our future roles as parents to one of God's children.  I turn to my to-do list and pray for motivation to keep checking off the little projects around the house, for my work, and for the adoption.  Have I made these onesies yet?  What about a mobile for the nursery?  An ABC print for a reading nook?  I certainly could be brushing up on some Chinese phrases right now... 

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The past month or so this has really been working for me.  I still have my tough moments where I call my husband and whine in a voice I am sure he finds oh-so-attractive "I miss our baby!"  But the more I have been praying, I can honestly share that I have been filled with more peace.

Jeremiah 29:11-12: For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.  Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you."

Much love,
Future Mama 

Shop Hannah James this month!  Hannah James {etsy} or Hannah James {storenvy}.  50% of the profits help bring our darling home.  And 50% of the profits help bring her darling home. I know this vintage button necklace would just beautiful on you...

Purchase this necklace here

Five for Fall Challenge

Fall is when I "fall" back into old habits.  Work gets busy, school gets hectic, and I allow myself to be overwhelmed by the trivial day-to-day.  So this year I am challenging myself to mix it up.  Time to stick to some of my summer habits.  And time to kick out some other ones.  It will be easier to get used to some of these things before the little one comes along!  So, instead of waiting another half year for January resolutions, I'd like to introduce...

 Future Mama's Five for Fall Challenge

Five things that Future Mama hopes to incorporate into her fall 

for a happier, healthier Future Mama 

1. Climb into bed by 10:30 on weeknights.  Not necessarily going to sleep, but showered, in pjs, and under the covers with a book (and Future Papa)

2. Pick out next day's outfit before bed.  Do you wear the same thing over and over again, even though there are plenty of other items in your closet?  I know I do!  Time to pick out something cute and different the night before to boost my mood and confidence the whole next day!

3. Exercise 3 times a week.  No exceptions, Future Mama, no exceptions. I may not be carrying a baby in my belly, but I will still need to be healthy enough to chase that baby around when it comes!

4.  Wake up every morning by 7:30 on weekdays.  Bleh, mornings.  I hear babies usually like mornings.  Start the habit now and enjoy the productivity while you can. 

5.  Healthy snacks.  I am so bad at this.  Either I eat a junky snack from the vending machine or I don't eat a snack at all, which makes me grouchy.   

Taaa-dahhh!  My Five for Fall!  

The way I see it, this will be a chance for me to test out some resolutions.  If one is a total flop, then I can always try it again in January!

What about you, fabulous readers?  

Care to join me?  

Perhaps you need a picture to get in the mood...

Taiwan New Year {source}

Happy New Fall!
What are some habits you want to kick or stick to this fall?

Much love,
Future Mama

Shop Hannah James this month!  Hannah James {etsy} or Hannah James {storenvy}.  50% of the profits help bring our darling home.  And 50% of the profits help bring her darling home.  What about this beautiful brass filigree locket as a Christmas gift for a friend who loves to travel?

Purchase this necklace here

"...I've Got Music..."

I may not have rhythm, but now I've got music, because I have found a long list of Taiwan radio stations!  And that makes me feel like this:

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I love trying various stations!  I tap my toes to the music and dreaming of me and Future Papa dancing through Taiwan like this... 

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 I love the fast and the slow, 

the high and the low, 

the swing and sway of the various words.

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You know, so I can look like this when my husband comes home.

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HA!  I wish.  I've got no rhythm.  But I do have this...

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And I love thinking...is my child's birth mother listening to this song right now?

Much love,
Future Mama

Shop Hannah James this month!  Hannah James {etsy} or Hannah James {storenvy}.  50% of the profits help bring our darling home.  And 50% of the profits help bring her darling home.  Wouldn't the necklace below be a great Christmas gift?

 

We are YOUR September family!

I couldn't post the exciting news last week because I was too busy yapping 

about Friends for Adoption, but today, I am thrilled to tell you that we are

Hannah James' family of the month!

And we are so excited.

Doing cartwheels.

Jumping for joy.

What does this mean?  Well, it means that we have been featured here.

And it means that you should go shopping.

That's right, buy something for yourself.  Your mother.  Your sister.  Your friend.  Something pretty.  Something little.  Do all your Christmas shopping.  Buy something for someone you don't appreciate enough.  Just take a look.  You can purchase from Hannah James {etsy} or Hannah James {storenvy}.  50% of the profits help bring our darling home.  And 50% of the profits help bring her darling home.

It's a win-win.  For us.  For them.  For the orphans who will gain families.

Much love,
Future Mama

August Swap

Friends for Adoption is a "buddy system" that links adopting families together so that they can encourage each other through the twists and turns of the process.  Each month, you and your Friend send and receive encouragements (with a $15.00 limit) in the mail.  This post is about my gift to Brooke.  Even though my husband and I are saving up for our own adoption, we believe we should support others financially, with prayer, and with encouragement as we are able.  Find out more about Friends for Adoption, including how to sign up, here. 

Second swap!  I had just as much fun shopping for this one as I did for the first.  There is just something special about trying to find a perfect gift.  I suppose that is one of the reasons why I love Christmastime so much!  But enough blabbering, are you ready to see what I found for Brooke?

First I found the book...and it melted my heart!  

The last page reads: 

"Mama, will we never let go?" whispered Sammy.  

Mama smiled.  "We'll always be together." 

The child-sized bear was just icing on the cake.  I included a gift receipt in case Brooke already had dozens of stuffed animals...little did I know, she collects them!  

And I loved what Brooke got me!  Something sweet and sentimental.  You want to know what it is?  Then you will have to click on over to her blog to find out!

Also, this post is a reminder to all of you involved in Friends for Adoption...it's now September!  Which means you have 2 weeks to get your encouraging gift/letter/package of smiles ($15 or less) in the mail to your Friend!

Much love,
Future Mama 

Want to catch up on our past swaps?  Here's the link to July's swap.