In Closing

 2011 Year in Review

January

 The start of solid foods!

February

Valentine's Day with special friends!

March

Finally sitting up on her own!

April

Spring is here~going for walks!

May

Happy 1st Birthday!

June

Climbing and walking everywhere~oh my!

July

Pool Play!

July (had to add 2 photos for July)

 Homecoming day celebration~look how much she has grown!

August

Trip to Philly to see Great-Grandma, Aunt/Uncle, and Cousins

September

Trying on Daddy's big shoes!

October

1 year since Gemma went to heaven

December

18 months old and showing signs of toddlerhood ;)

Merry Christmas 2011

Thank you for following along on my journey at Hannah's Song.  It has been quite a ride if I do say so myself.  Many blessings to you! 

*I will post the link to my new blog when it is up and going. :)

Checking 1-2-3

Check! Check!  Does this mic still work?

I think I may only have 1 reader still out there, so if you are reading this, "hi!"

Anyway, I think I have come to a decision on blogging and the direction of this blog.  Yeah!  To be honest, I really thought I was going to hang up blogging all together, but then I keep getting this itch to post things about my life and so maybe I just need to get back on the blogging wagon.

So, I think (see I still can't commit) I am going to start a new blog!!!  Fun!  I really have peace about closing this blog.  I have LOVED this blog, but feel that it must come to an end. 

I hope you join me when I move over to my new blog!  I am thinking by the end of January I should have it all set up and ready to go.  At least that is my plan as it stands today anyway.

To close, here are a few pictures of Faith! 

Merry CHRISTmas and Happy New Year

Halloween 2011

My Dad's Wedding November 2011

That's a story for the new blog

 Faith and her cousins November 2011

November 2011

The girl has better fashion than I

Merry Christmas 2011

I just don't know

It is official...I am in a blogging funk. 

Tonight, I suddenly had the urge to blog about this, so I jumped at the chance.

The truth is, I am in a dim place right now.  Life has just been such a struggle for me over the last 17 months specifically.  True, I have many wonderful things in life (my husband, daughter, family, and friends), but I tend to drop back to a sad place in my heart and mind and I am just trying to make sense of it and praying God would help me out of it.

With that said, I have really been contemplating the future of this blog and blogging in general.  I see it as 3 choices here:

1. To just take a break from blogging and return when I feel it is right for me.

2. To retire this blog, turn it into a beautiful book, and start afresh with a new blog with new ideas.

3. To quit blogging altogether.

I just don't know...  "I don't know" seems to be a theme in my life right now.  I. JUST. DON'T.KNOW

To close for now, I will end this blog entry with some pictures from Oct. 7, 2011, one year since Mom went to heaven.  My dear and special friends came to me about a week ago and said they wanted to make the day special for me and to honor my mom.  They wanted to do for me whatever I wanted to do that day.  I decided to have a play date with all the kiddos.  My friends surprised me with balloons to release, cake, and special notes they left at the grave site.  I will forever be touched by my thoughtful and loving friends.

I lift up my eyes to the mountains—

where does my help come from?

My help comes from the LORD,

the Maker of heaven and earth.

 He will not let your foot slip—

he who watches over you will not slumber;

indeed, he who watches over Israel

will neither slumber nor sleep.

 The LORD watches over you—

the LORD is your shade at your right hand;

 the sun will not harm you by day,

nor the moon by night.

 The LORD will keep you from all harm—

he will watch over your life;

the LORD will watch over your coming and going

both now and forevermore.

Psalm 121

Hello!

A girl's gotta have her phone with her at all times.  Ya never know when you may get a call or text!

Getting the Mail is So Fun!

Since Faith is a proficient walker now, I have let her walk to the mailbox with me.  She loves it!

(and I love that I don't have to carry her 21lbs body to the mailbox)

Faith likes to look around and take in the sights!

"Come on Mom this way!"

Aww, Faith's shadow is precious!

(Mama's shadow- so unflattering---putting the cookie down now!)

Mama loves her sweet girl!

One pretty proud-of-herself 16 month old!

What Makes Me Happy Wednesday

Giggles from my girl!

Socks

Ode to Mama's socks!

(Is it weird my child loves dirty socks?)

Manic Monday!

Faith makes a huge mess!

Mom cleans up!

Faith makes a huge mess!

Mom cleans up!

Repeat

Repeat

Repeat

No other word to describe it: MIRACLE

Pop over to Adeye's blog to read the update on Liliana.

"Never will I leave you: never will I forsake you."

Hebrews 13:5



Liliana

I have always had a heart for orphans and adoption.  I don't know how this will play out in the future, but I have just been so burdened by the orphan crisis of our world.  Have you read Adeye's blog (No Greater Joy Mom)?  She has an amazing heart for adoption.  She is not afraid to show the reality.  If you have a few hours minutes, her blog is well worth the read. 

Have you ever read something that simply makes you sick, makes you cry, makes you plead to God on what you should do?  It started for me when I was in high school and 20/20 aired a special about the orphans of Romania.  Anyone else see that?  I was changed that evening...  I remember balling my eyes out for days over that special. It was then that my heart for orphans was really awaken.  Lately, that ache and burden has returned strong.  Ok, this will sound weird, but hey, it's my blog. :)  I would love to win the lottery.  I love to donate/to support causes.  The problem= we haven't won the lottery and we aren't rich in the monetary sense.  Heck, we wonder month by month if living on one income is wise.  I have been praying then what can I do...little ol' me.  The answer- simple= advocate for God's children.

Here is Liliana (not her real name).  She lives in an orphanage. 

Liliana has Down Syndrome and in her country, she is worth NOTHING.  She is basically left to waste away in a crib.  You want to guess how old she is?  She weighs 10lbs.  Her feet are 4 inches long.

She

is

Eleven...yes, 11 years old.

Adeye on her blog is doing a giveaway to help raise funds for Liliana's forever family so they can adopt her without the worry of cost.  Check it out here

Pray for this child.  Pray for a family to adopt Liliana.

Wacky Wednesday!

Ehem...daddy didn't change her back into her jean shorts after naptime.  Hey, they both have polka dots, right?! :)

15 Months

Hide-and-seek, chase, yogurt, puzzles, giggles, blowing raspberries, and weighing in at 21lbs & 30 inches tall!

Bib-Bandit!

Bib-bandit in progress

 

Guilty as charged!

 

Running away with her loot!

Faith in Philly!

We packed up our suitcases and headed to Philly!  My grandma hasn't seen Faith and being that she is 91 flying is too hard for her.  She was unable to fly and be here for her daughter's (my mom) funeral and that was really hard for her.  Seeing Faith was something she desperately wanted.

Faith on the way to the airport

 At the airport...the calm before the storm!

I'm kind of wondering why I even packed all those toys and spent hours coming up with what to bring since all Faith wanted to do was climb on us nearly all the way to Philly!



 Faith getting ready for her first walk around the city with her second cousins!

 Her first slide experience!  Can you tell she did not like it much?!

 Playing shy or simply not lov'in the city park?!

 There is no doubt that Faith loves doggies.  Jessie was the best dog for Faith.  She just layed there while Faith giggled at her or she walked about while Faith chased and continued giggling.  We think Faith's first word may be "Baa Baa"  A.K.A "doggie"



A picture of 3 generations! 

Oh, how mom was missed on this trip and the screamingly obvious hole of her absence.