The Topic of the Day

Is......... ADOPTION!

If you know me well, then you know that from the time I can remember I have wanted to adopt a child.
We started on the subject at work this weekend and wouldn't you know it, two ladies (one nurse and one RT) that are sitting at the same desk as me have adopted!

So we began talking about the pros, the cons, the costs, the legalities, the surprises and (most importantly) the L*O*V*E!

Adopting is such a very big process. You have to do applications, your home study, lawyer "things" ~note that I have no idea what all that entails yet, approvals, denials, patiently waiting... waiting... waiting... GOING, and going now. The list is really far more extensive than this.

But despite the time, money, work, waiting, going and process in general, one thing that is constant-- They would not change it for the world!

There are so many verses in the Bible that call us to adoption.
Do I think that means every person needs to adopt? Heck no. Does every person get called to be missionaries over seas? No. Does every person get called to the alter? No. But I do think that we all get called to do these things (and more) as best we can in our own capacities.
We ourselves are, in every sense of the word, adopted. Christ adopted us, he adopted our sins as his own. So for me (and Shawn I feel comfortable saying), adopting is something we have been innately called to do and already planned for our future.

There are two main "types" of private adoption. International and Domestic. Both have so many pros and cons, it is hard to imagine choosing one over the other.
I asked one of the gals here who said, "There is such a great need around the world. The US does not have all these children sitting in cribs never being held."
Her statement hit home. Maybe more than I wished it would.
I have been so set on adopting from the US that I have failed to look at what the "big picture" is. That one statement weighed so heavily on my heart. That one statement has made me rethink what boarders I had set in my mind.

What are yall's thoughts?
Have you adopted? Dom or Int?
 :)



~K

A little here and a little there

Ok, first things first:  Our first loan is officially paid off in our debt snowball and our 2nd one will be paid tomorrow!
Woo hoo!  Yup... this sums up how we feel ;)

Now for some more fun stuff....

I decorated one of the living room walls with this. (Don't mind Lexi's photo, it's just temporary until I print off an actual photo and not just one on my home printer!) We all know God has torn my heart between both kiddos and animals, so it's no surprise that Shawn is self-admittedly a dog-lover too now!

~I found the sign at Hobby Lobby (50% off) for $10
~The navy blue frames are from Target (again, 1/2 price at only about $10 each) with actual cute little paw prints from Elli and Lexi
~The lamp was also on sale at Target for $14.99
~The black frames are recycled from ones I had up in my old home
~The ribbon was left over from the wedding
~And the signs are all hung with Command removable hangers

I put this 3x3 square shelf below it and am in the process of adding things to it that match our white/tan/navy blue living room theme :) Plus, the pup's toys are all in the baskets, which they clearly like to drag things out of...

I finally ordered some of our wedding photos which get here tomorrow so I will be adding more decor to our newly painted living room soon! 

Also, look for a post in the future for my first sewing expedition when I attempt to make curtains! :) I will try and take some pics as I go along.

KD

P.S. we are currently in the interview process to be a Big Couple in the Big Brothers/Big Sisters KC program which would mean we will (hopefully) get a little brother soon to hang out with. We are pretty excited about it, a little nervous, but mostly very hopeful! I will update you when we find out for sure!

Journey to Debt Free

Shawn and I have decided (albeit reluctantly on my part for fear of the unknown) to follow the Dave Ramsey plan to becoming debt free. The idea is that we pay off our debt starting with the smallest and then putting that money towards the next smallest and so on until they are paid, in full. That involves budgeting, spending money wisely, and cutting back.

The hope is that we can pay off cars and student loans in the next 2-3 years.

This got me started thinking about and researching the things we can do to save a few bucks here and there. Tonight was my first project!

I found a cleaner on Pinterest and decided to give it a try. I am sucker for advertising and tend to not hesitate to buy a fancy cleaner. After we got married and I moved in, I went on that womanly cleaning spree (Shawn keeps a clean house, but we all know women have that extra eye for things, including hidden dust bunnies and hard water stains). I bought some fancy shower cleaner, followed the directions and it became a little more clean. But I could still see it, mocking me, every day, with every shower.

So when I saw this I almost laughed. Dawn soap and vinegar? Really?
It seemed too simple.
And yet, it worked. Wonderfully.

Knowing that dawn soap is used in my hospital and for animal rescues, I know it is safe. And vinegar smells bad, but that is about he extent of it. I recommend opening your windows and throwing a fan on pointing out of the bathroom so you don't inhale it the entire time.

I went ahead and used 3/4c warmed vinegar and 3/4c blue dawn detergent. Sprayed it on and waited a little over an hour.

I ended up taking a second shower for the day because I found that it dried up, leading to a lot of good ol' scrubbing to get it clean until I started rinsing it. So I hopped in and it was a ton easier to get all the grime off with the shower running. Less elbow grease makes this one happy girl.


Here is my before-- and please note that these photos do not even do it justice.
But you can see the stains and grime. Even after it is "cleaned."

And here is the after. Like I said, hard to see just right, but BOY is it clean!
I will never again buy that expensive cleaner.
It even cleaned the soap scum off of the glass door (though I didn't take a photo) and it is clear as can be.

My only other advice is to make sure you mix it gently. I shook mine too much and it became awfully foamy.

Pretty good, huh?
Plus...
-It's a fraction of the cost (great for our budget!)
-It doesn't have a ton of those harmful ingredients that store-bought has
-It works a whole lot better!

The Journey to Debt Free has begun!

You Have My Whole Heart for My Whole Life

December was the last time I wrote on here. Life has been busy, to say the least. Mostly planning a wedding (which turned out beautifully in my opinion), a fun-filled honeymoon, then the passing of my Pappaw right after that kept us busy for a while. We finally moved my furniture and belongings a few days ago and it allowed me the opportunity to unpack all of our wedding gifts the next day.

So, that brings us to today. I think that a 7 month summary wrapped up into that last paragraph is a great accomplishment for a girl whose mother was once told during an elementary parent-teacher conference (which were always a joke because I got only good things said to her thus rendering them pointless for my mother to actually attend though she went to every single one of them, no lie), "She does write a LOT on her assignments." Now- onto the photos!**

Today's blog will be dedicated to the wedding! There are so many I love, maybe I will have to do a separate post of the ones that are too cute to not share but I just don't have here yet.... Here are a few, or quite a few rather, of my faves:

**All photos courtesy of www.birdsofafeatherphotos.com
Plus, go "like" them on Facebook and show them some love https://www.facebook.com/BirdsofaFeatherPhotos

Ok, like I said... Quite a few!  There were over 1000 amazing photos and I tried to pick my favorites but there are just so many. And Birds of a Feather was so great and talented! Plus, we were so blessed to be gifted these photos from them. 

My heart is full