Nothing more precious than this...

I will be the first to admit that mothering little babies is one of the hardest parts of being a parent. But memories of all the sleepless nights just fade away when a Mom sees her child do this:

That boy sure knows how to melt his Mama's heart!!

Evolution of a Greeting Card

I have enjoyed making my own greeting cards for a number of years now. Since becoming a Stampin' Up demonstrator I have been able to share that love with others. As a part of meeting of local demonstrators I was given the assignment to design a card using either retiring stamps or those from the current mini-catalog. Now I have not had much opportunity to pull out my card-making supplies in a while (something to do with a newborn!!) so I was excited to have an excuse to do so. My dear husband was kind enough to watch over the kiddos so I could focus on my project. I pulled out some ink and paper and my new Fabulous Florets stamps but was sad to find I did not know where I put my creativity!! So I began cutting and gluing and stamping and came up with a card that was okay, but not something I was completely satisfied with.

So I pulled out a few different colors and tweaked a couple things and got card #2. Better, but still not quite what I was looking for.

So I adjusted a few other details added a few embellishments and...VOILA!! Now that's what I was trying to accomplish!

And the most fulfilling part was my card was voted as the favorite amongst my fellow demonstrators at the meeting last Monday night!! :-)

Bloom and Grow

Back in March of 2007, I was able to travel with friends to the Anza-Borrego Desert in Southern California. Not being a typical desert, it had erupted in glorious blooms of gold because of the great amounts of rain during that winter. It was an awesome sight to behold!

I recalled that on Thursday in the midst of an emotionally dry day. My beloved son was completely out of sorts. When he was awake he was usually crying and wiggly. So I would hold him until he was calmed and sleeping. But woe to the Mama that tried to put him down!! 

In a quieter moment in the afternoon as I held him, I looked at his face and could not resist smiling at his precious face. My simple sign of affection was returned in his first little smile for me. Oh, there is nothing more beautiful, more special than seeing that for the first time!

Amazing how God shows his graciousness in the simplicity of such a moment. Even in the most tiresome of days when it seems that all is just drained from me, He still provides such a loving reminder that my work as a mother is not in vain. Even if I think I may wander in barren desert, I am not alone. He provides the rain. He provides the sun. I need to be patient and trust him. He makes all things new. Winter does not last forever, Spring will come! I look forward to seeing these children grow and BLOSSOM! :-)


(Now I need to try to capture that smile with my camera!)