*bliss in birmingham*

there are times in life
when i feel like the Lord just reaches right on through
the heart & hands of a friend~
a new friend
someone you've never spoken to on the phone
you've never met for lunch or coffee
much less crashed in their home for 3 days
& loves you,
blesses you
& blows you away!

that's what meeting ashley eiler was for me!

a few months ago ashley invited me to come for a weekend, all expenses paid,
at her home
along with 9 other women
many of whom work for her
none of who i had ever met...
& did i already mention , much younger than i....oh boy

look at this girl
everyone needs an ashley in their life!
& i'm so thankful she's in mine!

so i packed up the suburban
my respectable new cell phone
since i was meeting THE darbs and all
i surely couldn't have a flip phone
{so
turns out someone else showed up with a flip phone....& an antenna. but her secrets good with me!}
grabbed my camera
left my insecurity at home
sucked it up
got over myself
stepped way out of my comfort zone
& hit the road
driving the speed limit
snore
being that my fine is due this month for my previous pullover...ugh
see here's proof...70 mph
although this shot taken by said cell phone probably was not the smartest maneuver to attempt with an 18wheeler next to me

ashley has a shop in a super cute (i expected nothing less) development called Mt Laurel
we all met up for dinner at a fabulous restaurant
'a stones throw'
i will forever think of these precious girls each time i order shrimp & grits!

you know how awkward things like this could be
nope
not at all
honestly, i felt instantly like i'd already known all these ladies
each one was beautiful, and so warm and friendly
dang, why do i feel like i might just start to cry?


we then headed back to ashley's beautiful home
is her kitchen the cutest or what?
& anybody who slaps a ginormous monogram on every kitchen towel is AOK by me!

she passed out happies for everyone

beachbags LOADED with more treasures

i'm serious when i tell you that i was blown away by this girl

& the weekend was only just beginning

thank you lindsay for great camera straps!!

i've always wanted one!

one of the things in our beach bag

was these pink tshirts

we all wore them to ashley's church sunday

& speaking of blown away

this church is living their testimonies & convictions in a powerful way

i think about 40sh couples/families are moving into the rougher parts of b'ham to be the hands & feet of jesus, loving on those who need it most

i think approximately 160 families have or are in the process of adopting .... 160 families!

i've never seen a church truly walk it out like they are!

i think its safe to say we were all star struck meeting darby

darby can do it all

cook, sew, entertain, & love on those precious babies like no one's business

she is big fun & truly has a joyful spirit

i love how she shares her faith & inspires me to be a better mom through her writing

{even though she was born the year i started 9th grade....uh ....yeah}

a quick peek into ashley's shop "Favorite Laundry"

ashley is the creator & founder of Blessed Be the Name children's clothing. what a beautiful line, wonderful fabrics, & very well made. the cutest cutest clothes. i highly recommend! sorry i'm all over the lot here

but let me get back to saturday
we were all treated to a morning at the spa
one hour facials
30 minute massage
or was it one hour facials AND one hour massage?
5 minutes or 5 hours....it was heaven
then onto fabulous pedicures
later we were fed ceasar salads from california kitchen
while we all sat around in our robes
hungover from the incredible treatments!

we were then treated to a photography workshop
with susanne king....fabulous photographer & an excellent teacher
i will never shoot in automatic again, pinkie promise

did i fail to mention that we were getting pounded with rain
major rain
thus making the treck from the spa to the studio
all gussied up for our shoot a little tricky
but after a few bottles of champagne were opened

there was even more laughter
& proof that ashley is super tiny
cuz here she is sporting a size 2t tutu

a few more shots of the goody bag....i was trying to play around with

drum roll....aperture!

another lens strap, you too can order one from ashley!




i'm sure i'm leaving something out

despite the fact that this post has already reached an epic status

but i just want to say to each of the girls that was there, ya'll are wonderful. beautiful. talented. super moms. who certaily do not wear mom jeans. can rock a photoshoot. & made me feel so welcome & part of the group. i am blessed & honored to call each of you friend!

ashley

you are the real deal , girl.

you are true. hip. colorful. generous. crazy. sharp. beautiful. passionate. caring. warm. lover of jesus. fabulous. black toenails. leather bracelets & funky rings. hostess extraordinaire. casual & comfy. creative. artsy.whiteteeth. fun mama. authentic.

you're just awesome

i loved your cute little self the moment i hugged you.

i pray we will be friends forever

thank you for taking a chance on me

& for making me feel special

thank you for everything you did

everything you said

every gift you gave

every detail you tended to

every meal you fed

every splurge you lavished

e.v.e.r.y.t.h.i.n.g.

words aren't enough

YOU

ARE

LOVED

MWAH!!!!

{ps--thanks for letting me use some of ya'll pics...darby, ashley, lindsay, & susanne.

they each have fabulous blogs as does Shelly, Sarah & Amelia!}

{pss.i apologize for whacking a couple of you out of the photos...ugh..i'm so sorry. hope to get back on & edit but for now,my washer just died...so i gotta run.

hey, maybe purex will pick up the repair tab since they retweeted my tweet on how fabulously their product took all, ALL, the coffee out of my white slipcovers! snort}

the heart at thriteenandahalf

i wish i could say i did this list thingy

more frequently when my girls were younger

i love pulling one of them aside
& asking questions
many, i already know the answer to
but we get a little one on one time
i get to capture a mental snapshot of their heart
that day
right where they are

with middle schoolers especially
its fun because the answers might just change
from day to day

but bottom line
a little time spent soaking up their thoughts
brings me great joy
&
they leave with their love tanks just a little more full

sweet emily is at an age
i barely remember
i think i was gosh awful ugly & certainly quite awkward
she is neither of the two



let me introduce my third daughter
born only weeks prior to loosing her biological daddy
yet
the spittin' image of him & his beloved favorite uncle
always smiling
& loved by everyone



emi has a loyal heart
& more friends than she can count

an easy going, non-judgemental spirit
loyal
tender hearted
cries easily
likes things "just so"
cringes at cuss words ( sorry 'bout those sweetie)

best friend to katelyn
keeper of a messy room
lover of pasta
wants to be a school teacher one day

purple painted toes
& a purple ipod
wears a purity ring
great at math
language arts, not so much

lady antebellum fan
smitten with liam hemsworth & channing tatum
estee lauder pleasures
& size 0 at her fave store, american eagle

worships with her entire heart
wears that same heart on her sleeve
chicken nachos, add lettuce, black beans on the side
& drinker of water

hand holder
maternal
angered easily by me
obsessed with facebook
& jon and kate plus 8

no longer afraid of the ocean
loves a photoshoot
fabulous hair
& rookie cheerleader
with awesome toe-touches

favorite scripture~ it is the lord who goes before you. he will be with you. he will not fail nor forsake you. do not fear or be dismayed. deut 3.18
when she told me last night this was her fave scripture, i just smiled. i prayed this verse over & over while i was pregnant with her during the most frightening time of my life. i probably never told her that. god's so cool like that.

i'm so proud of you angel baby
i'm proud to be your mama
& watch you continue to blow me away
with your huge heart
& your forgiving spirit

i'm sorry for the things i haven't done well
you know what they are
& i pray these next few years
for you & i
will be the best!

you are loved

her first prom & a zillion pictures....

i asked a girlfriend of mine how she was coping
her first born baby girl had left just weeks prior to head off to college
she quickly responded that she felt like during the senior year, there's so much bickering between mom & daughter that you're actually ready for them to head out
that stumped me
i'm not an idealist or some goofy mom that thinks my children & i have flawless relationships
but i certainly could never imagine
one of my girls bugging me so much that i'd be more than ready for them to leave

despite her bleak outlook & warning of where i would soon be headed

this last year has been the best yet for me & savannah
i can't imagine what our home will be like when she does go
the complete change in the dynamics of our home

i know
she's only a junior
but...

her first prom was a couple weeks ago
as a parent i feel like there are those events in our lives
where it feels like we're peeking through the chain link fence
looking over into the next ballfield , figuratively of course
the next playing field that they'll head into
a glimpse of our next phase

that weekend was just that for me

i love this age
16 17 18
i feel like she's this great girl
that i thoroughly enjoy hanging out with
laughing with
listening to her explain the difference between just dating
& becoming facebook official
cuz
you know there's a difference , right?


i'm so proud of where she is in her life & the choices she's made
the people she's picked as friends
& those whom she respects
that says alot about her...

anyway
her prom date is such a super guy
they've been best of buddies since she switched from private to public school five years ago
he's precious, smart, loads of fun, grounded spiritually & mighty cute

think i'll leave it at that , wink!

{ so, i apologize in advance for the ridiculous amount of photos...i realize i'm the last one to the party, but pioneer woman has free, yep, free photoshop actions over on her site. you probably already knew that. of course, i just 'bout lost my salvation trying to upload them but now those actions & i have a sweet relationship going on! therefore, i've uploaded four thousand trillion billion photos several of which i ran her actions on... }

(maybe the funniest shot of the night--the spotaneous silly friends in the background...couldn't have staged it any cuter)

{ps, last weekend on my girls trip was out of this world amazing. as soon as i can get some of the photos i'll get my post together}