Life's Plans

This week will be full of some major decisions for our little family. I found a perfect quote for my life right now and want to share it.


We must be willing to let go of the life we have planned, so as to have the life that is waiting for us. -Joseph Campbell


I'm ready to have the life that is waiting for me, but the letting go of the planned life is oh so hard. It feels like the end of dreams never reached. I realize my dreams aren't gone they just aren't going to be accomplished in the way I wanted to accomplish them. Having the faith and courage to let go will in the end lead to the greatest happiness, but why does it have to be so hard?

Heartache + Love = Life

My sweet sister told me how therapeutic it was to write on her blog. I'm willing to try anything at this point so here goes. I really don't want to go on about how tough, crazy, and sad life is right now. Needless to say I feel like I have been in the fight of my life lately with trials, school, and life in general. Life is full of heartache, but it is also full of love, and I have found that when the heartache gets to big to handle Heavenly Father lets in just enough love so I can carry on. I'd like to share two thoughts I've had today, so that I can remember them. Choices and agency are a part of every day life. I make a million decisions everyday. Some are insignificant, others a little more weighty, but I make them. How often do I consistently pray to make the right decisions every day? I pray about the big decisions, but what about all the little decisions that lead down the road to big decisions. I was thinking about the pioneers in the handcart companies and their decision to journey to Salt Lake. I'm sure this was a decision made with much prayer and fasting and when they got their answer to go they went. I'm sure along their journey when the trials came they questioned the decision they made. I know I would have. But the one thing I have learned from the pioneers is they endured to the end, and stuck with it. Once I start down a certain path sometimes it's impossible to go back, and I'm stuck with the decision I made so it better be a good one. The pioneers couldn't turn around in the middle of the trail without serious consequences, and neither can I. It is so much easier to take the path with all its trials and to continue on when I know it's the path Heavenly Father wants me to take. That's why it is so important to be in constant communication with Heavenly Father, to humbly take the path he has asked me to take. And when the storms come you I look back with knowledge and peace knowing you I am still on the path Heavenly Father wants me to be on. Because although it's not all flowers and sunshine anymore the path hasn't changed. The heartache will be even greater if I get off the trail, so like the pioneers I am learning to endure and stick to the trail that leads to eternal life. Unlike the pioneers trail into the Salt Lake Valley all paths in life are different, and what is the right path for me may not be for someone else. But the principals and standards we live along our path is the same for everyone no matter how difficult our path is. The Lord requires faithful obedience along the way. If we live the Lord's standards while traveling on our trail we will all meet up at the same place in heaven. The other thought I had today was about the good Samaritan. I've heard the story a million times, but today in Sunday School I thought to myself the good Samaritan was so compassionate because he had probably been there before. The Samaritan's were thought of as a lesser people, and I'm thinking this Samaritan probably knew what it felt like to be beat up, lying on the side of the road left for dead. Therefore his compassion overtook him, and he was able to give service. I don't know if this is right but it made sense in my head today. So if I have to go to hell and back so that I may learn not only sympathy, but empathy, and have compassion on those I meet along the way so be it. Bring it on. Tonight I am ready for a fight, tomorrow maybe not so much. But I will take the courage I feel tonight and draw from it when the storm rages.

Refurnishing Fun!

I have been trying to tackle my never ending to do list lately. I realized that I start school in two weeks, and anything that isn't finished by then isn't going to get finished for quite some time. So this Saturday I hauled the furniture out of my garage and went to work.


The first item was this coffee table I inherited from my brother and sister-in-law. I put it in my garage at Christmas to make room for the tree, and there it has sat waiting for me to paint.
So here is the before:
And here is the after. I'm pretty happy with how it turned out.
And this little beauty of a gem I bought at a garage sale for $5. It doesn't look like much but it was solid and sturdy, and I had a vision.
So again before:And after:
This has been my favorite project that I've done lately. I painted it the same as my coffee table and put it in my entry way. Is it weired to have a dresser in your entryway? I guess I really don't care because I love it. I will show you how I decorated it and finished off the look when it's all done. Everything is always a work in progress in my life. But hey I'm closer than I was last Saturday!

Blessing Dress

My latest project has been a blessing dress for my sweet little niece who was born the beginning of June. She is my baby sisters baby. Does life fly by or what? This was quite the project I took on, but so much fun. I read sewing basic books and did a lot of research before I even attempted this project. I learned how to do french seams and a whole bunch of other techniques that I was excited to learn. It turned out well and hopefully I'm the only one who notices all the opps and ah oh's.

Here I am with my darling niece. The blessing was wonderful. I loved seeing my baby sister become a mother. She is the best. And there is no one else on earth who treats my sister and niece with more love and tenderness than my sister's husband. How blessed I am to be surrounded by such amazing people. I love my family, and I love showing them by doing these kinds of projects.

Onesies

Anything in newborn size is darling, but I love how this turned out.

This was so fun to try some more applique, but oh the ruffled bum. I love the ruffled bum.

Applique

I decided to try my hand at applique the other day. I love the idea of turning a white onesie into something darling and personal. So I started with a project for my niece who is getting a baby brother later on this month. I think it turned out pretty cute. I have now bought a pack of onesies and I can't wait to get started on them. Since everyone in my family is either pregnant or just had a baby I have a lot of opportunities to create. I think it's funny how I never had time to do this kind of thing when my kids were little. I guess that's why I love being an aunt. I get to make cute things, snuggle with the babies, not change diapers, and then go home to my kids who sleep through the night and bathe themselves. Life is Good!

Bags

I love bags, and I love making bags. Here are some fun bags I've made in the last month.
Girlie Girls purse for her up coming birthday.

My messenger bag for church, it holds everything.

And last my Girlie Girls messenger bag for school. I found a great website that has a whole bunch of bag patterns for free it's diybaglover.blogspot.com. So check it out and enjoy making some darling bags.