Archives for 2011

Positive

July 8, 2011 by Amy 7 Comments

I can’t let this week go by without mentioning here that we submitted our adoption papers. To be honest, it was done without much fanfare. I took it myself to the post office when I got off work on Tuesday. It seems so simple. Just an envelope addressed a town away. Just another package in the carrier’s bag. Just another piece of mail to open in an office. But we all know it’s so much more.

It’s another official YES. Yes, we really mean it. Yes, we want to help. Yes, we’re opening our home. Yes, we want to save you. Or save us, may it be. Yes, we want you as our son. When I get to thinking on it (sorry, I’ve been reading The Help and have begun thinking like Aibileen), I get super emotional. Somewhere our son is out there. And that sounds sweet until you think that the only way we get him is if he gets abused or neglected. In a weird way, sometimes I pray that we never meet him. Not because I don’t want to but because I want his parent(s) to shape up and treat him like he deserves.

It’s a little overwhelming but honestly when I think of it it’s like some big black hole. We have no idea what we’re walking into but somehow that darkness isn’t scary. It’s peaceful. I don’t get worry in the pit of my stomach. Just peace. I’m not naive enough to think it will be peaceful but there is peace.

So this week the proverbial ball got to rollin’. I’m told it will be another 6 months or so before all the interviews and inspections are done and we’re approved. They say adoption is like a paper pregnancy. So I suppose this week it’s like two little lines showed up.

Just tell me I can start eating all the ice cream and chocolate I want and we’re going to be juuust fine.

Book Review: How to Market and Sell Your eBook

July 6, 2011 by Amy Leave a Comment

If you ask me, eBooks are becoming the new blogs. I see them popping up everywhere from blog authors. Instead of trying to make money off the pennies from advertising, they’re bundling all the info up and making more on one eBook than traditional authors make. It’s smart. And it’s good for the readers. No longer do you have to sift through categories and searches on a blog when you want someone’s expertise in written form.

eBooks aren’t just pervading the blogging world. Many non-techie people I know in real life are buying Kindles and iPads and are ditching paper books for the eBook.

And so. I’m a blogger. And a reader. And yes, I’m tossing around the idea of an eBook. And when I saw Sarah Mae had made over $20,000 on one eBook on cleaning, my ears perked up. I couldn’t wait to read her latest eBook on, well, how to sell an eBook.

As a techie, I kept hoping for more technical instructions on how to do the thing but Sarah Mae is quick to let you know she’s definitely not a techie and relies on paid help. Other than that, I felt like the book was straight to the point and well-written. I particularly liked:

Her tip on getting a sponsor to pay for the book
Details on getting it on Amazon
Recommendations on who she actually used for help

If you are thinking about writing an eBook I highly recommend this read. Sarah Mae’s techniques obviously are proven and hope to one day put them to work!

Weekend Recap

July 5, 2011 by Amy 6 Comments

I’ve failed to blog most of last week not because I haven’t had time or had nothing to say. In fact, it was because I had so much to say that I stayed away. It was quite the emotional week, what with the new puppy, an eye-opening meeting at work, a huge (HUGE. I can not stress this enough) meltdown from Lexi about my job and her hatred (yes hatred) of it and oh, my PMS to exaggerate any small detail. Yes, it was nothing but drama from which you were spared.

We spent this weekend in Maryland for a family reunion and a mid-year visit to see family. A four day weekend spent with my family really could not have dropped in my lap at a better time. The girls have been stuck like super glue to me and really, it’s overwhelming at times but much-needed and wanted. We had a great time visiting family, eating together, going to see fireworks, watching movies and generally being lazy around the pool.

I hope you had a wonderful 4th!

Meet Tucker

June 27, 2011 by Amy 6 Comments

As expected, I lost the dog battle. I had a list of at least 10 good reasons we didn’t need to get him but alas, I can not withstand the puppy power.

Meet Tucker.

Mattie’s reaction: Uh, I don’t know about this, guys. Seems kind of scary!

He’s close! Too close to me!

Yeah, uh guys, I’m going back inside.

Poor Mattie. Bless her heart.

Back to the puppy.

He’s twelve weeks old.

Golden eyes

Brown nose.

Cute as a button.

As expected, Lexi loves him.

And really, I think I’m going to too.

Weekend Recap

June 27, 2011 by Amy Leave a Comment

Our first weekend back since vacation and I have to say although I miss the sandy beaches it felt good to get things done at home and spend time with family.

Friday night was uneventful as I had to work. Scott took the kids to their last night at VBS and let them spend their “money” in the store and eat.

Saturday was a fun day. OK, well, it didn’t start out that way. I got up and dressed early and did a mad dash to clean the house. The cleaning lady hadn’t been there for a week and we still hadn’t totally recovered from being out of town. My aunt and uncle were coming in town around lunch and with plans to swim at our house and tour the new addition, I had to have everything in order. It took a few hours, but we were looking presentable. They ended up coming in a little late and then my mom ended up taking them shopping for the afternoon so the girls and I ended up having a fun girls-only afternoon. Emma had been begging to do a spa day forever. So I put a mask on her (Lexi refused), put cucumbers on their eyes, let their feet soak and painted her nails. Oh yes, they got the royal treatment. We spent the rest of the afternoon in the pool, which had finally decided to clear up while we were in Florida. The water was just under 90 degrees and it was fantastic. Saturday evening everyone mosied on over to the house, Scott got home from work and we ate some BBQ together and did a little swimming. I loved having everyone over.

Sunday we had church and ate with the family. The rest of the family went shopping for the afternoon while I took the kids home to the pool, sure that I didn’t want to watch the kids shop til they dropped. Sunday evening after Scott was off and they were back from shopping we went back to my mom’s for dinner and good family time.

Other random things that happened at the house this weekend:

Scott moved our two dressers to the girls’ old room. The original set..the queen bed the girls had been using…and the dressers we’ve always used, are back together again after several years. It was the original set we used when we got married and for some reason it makes me happy for it all to be together, waiting on guests and maybe, a little boy to take it over.
I cleaned the playroom (even vacuumed!) and unpacked still more boxes from the addition. Yes, this event is worthy of a bullet point. I should also note that the girls took it upon themselves to empty out their tubs of play kitchen food and utensils, clean them (like they seriously brought in a trash can to throw out the trash and put unrelated toys in a different bin) and reorganize each drawer. An organizational task of such magnitude has never been initiated or completed by them on their own and I have to say I’m pretty proud given my ineptitude on all things organizational. Maybe I can get them to organize my new bathroom cabinets?
We debated getting another dog all weekend. We’ve actually been discussing another dog for months but it got serious this weekend. It wasn’t pretty. Emma and I do not want it and Scott and Lexi do. Just another reason having another child will be great–tiebreakers on family decisions. Scott is taking the girls to see the dog today while I’m at the office so I fully expect to lose this battle and have another dog at the house when I get home.

I hope you all had a great weekend and are making great plans for the upcoming July 4th weekend!

Blood Water Belt Story

June 25, 2011 by Amy Leave a Comment

I had the pleasure to share the story of the Blood Water Belt as part of an illustration for our church’s sermon on generosity. I filmed it last minute the night we got back from Disney at our place in Florida (check out the storms happening behind me!). I thought I’d share the video and point you to the full sermon so you can see how it was tied in. Click over to our church’s site and check out Week 3 of the Wise Man Says series. Below is the unedited video I shared with them.

I’m still in awe He would take my faults and turn it into something good.

Review: Heaven is For Real

June 24, 2011 by Amy 6 Comments

I have had this book on my wish list since the day it came out. The Internet was abuzz with its message. But I have to admit, I was skeptical.

Last week my friend Jo Ann visited us in Florida and had read it on her road trip down. She raved about it. No sooner had I gotten back from Florida this weekend and my mom and sister were both on Facebook raving about it. Last night I picked the copy up from Mom’s.

The book itself is a great read. I noticed after finishing that it’s co-written by Lynn Vincent who also wrote Same Kind of Different as Me. The writing style and pacing completely made sense and accounts for why I liked the style of both of them so much. In the same way Same Kind of Different As Me had me up for nights just plowing through, I had this shorter book read in a few hours. I felt like you had a clear picture of the setting, characters and storyline. They did a great job of unfolding the story in much the same way they experienced it. So bravo on that end.

I have to preface my review of the content by another review I did of The Shack. I walked into that book unprepared. I didn’t realize it was fictional. I spent much of the book going, “Really?” Beyond that, the conversations with God supposedly happened and even those, I still question because they don’t align with much of my current theology. Basically, The Shack was well written but I don’t believe it. So going into this book I was skeptical. Really skeptical. Here is a family who is writing a book based on things a FOUR year old said. The biggest claim people say is, but that’s the point! A four year old wouldn’t know these things! And that’s right. I agree. A four year old wouldn’t know those things. But an adult would. And a creative adult can write any story any way he wants just like in The Shack. So I’m not saying the proof isn’t astounding. I’m just saying that a deceptive, creative set of people could write this book. There wasn’t anything about heaven that someone hasn’t conjectured already.

HOWEVER. Unlike when I read The Shack, I felt complete peace and joy reading the book. When I’ve read and listened to interviews of The Burpos online since then, I feel there is a sense of honesty there. They are just a family that experienced something supernatural and they’re putting it out there, no matter what you think. I’ve experienced that a time or two and know what it’s like to put yourself out there.

All of the things he said has lined up with Scripture, which I appreciated that they did throughout the book. In each interview, they are consistent in their message and don’t dodge questions.

Is there a small part of me that is still skeptical? Of course. People are capable of much more deception that you realize. But God is capable of what happened to this little boy too. So if I went in 50% sure of this, I came out 99% sure of it.

Which means. What an awesome story. What a good God we serve. How much more do I want to have that child-like faith. How awesome is the comfort so many people can receive from their story. And what color is my sash going to be??

I give it two thumbs and a Must Read!

Show Us Your Singles

June 23, 2011 by Amy

Kelly’s Korner is hosting a Show Us Your Singles carnival and when my cousin, who by the way is also named Kelly, emailed me to suggest I participate by writing about my sister Heather, I just couldn’t pass it up.

So how does the carnival work? You write a post about a single friend or family member and then everyone links up back at Kelly’s. People start match-making and apparently, sometimes, it works! A few people have started dating seriously from this process and one couple even got married! Since Heather is into online dating recently I figured this couldn’t hurt.

But how in the world do I tell you all the great stuff from 30 years of sisterhood?

How can you start to capture all the times she’s made you laugh?

Or gone to a concert with you?

Or hugged your kids because she loves all babies so much?

Or celebrated with you?

How in the world do you describe just how much she loves animals?

Maybe it’d be a good time to tell that story how she literally swam through a lake to save a drowning dog’s life?

How can I describe how she’s been by my side through everything, even little things like meeting Spongebob.

Should I tell you how much she loves music and movies and TV or how much she loves pens and post-it notes? Or just how much she has a heart for God and what He has in store for her mate?

Or were you looking for “the stats” like

She’s 30
5’4” (I think?)
Resident of Fort Mill, SC
Graduate of a 2 year school with graphic design
Works with my mom at her custom blinds business
Owns her own house and car

Or maybe I should just tell you how beautiful she is inside and out

because she is. And how any guy would be a LUCKY. GUY. to get her.

Yeah, ok, so maybe she doesn’t get a date out of this post but I sure hope she gets just how great I think she is. I don’t say it a lot.

But I mean it a lot.

Love you, sissy.

Oh and cute, single men, well-meaning mothers, sisters, aunts, cousins and friends, leave a comment if you have a good match for her!