Thursday, April 29, 2010

Precious Pottery



I started with a couple of girls a few months ago doing Precious Pottery. It is a business they have had for many years and I have been BEGGING for years to help them. They finally asked me to join the fun and I am pumped!!! I love crafty stuff. They will paint your child's hands or feet and put it on a ceramic bowl, plate, trivet, spoon rest,Christmas ornament, picture frame, canisters, candy jars, flower pots, vases, serving platters, etc. After they do that you decide what you would like it to be turned into. I had Ian's feet turned into guitars, snowmen, ghosts, turkeys, etc. I have a plate or something for every holiday season and I love changing my pottery every season to something new of Ian's. I am posting pics for those of you who don't know what I'm talking about.



There are also things we do that are not based on children's hands and feet. : ) We can do graduation frames like the one I attached on here, wedding plates for gifts, and Christmas designed pottery that is a great gift for someone or just a great gift for yourself.



So...with that said, we are planning a Preciuos Pottery Party for Saturday, June 5 at Wae's office in Ellisville. The appointments will start at 8:00 in the morning and will be booked for every 30 minutes. If you would like to sign up for this you can email me at maryellis96@yahoo.com to make an appointment. I am going to attach some pictures of some things they have done.




This is going to be a customer appreciation party with some great incentives and prize drawings. One example of a prize drawing will be a gift certificate to Precious Pottery. You will know before party who wins the prize drawing. Don't miss out. It's going to be great!



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Change Teachers...


I received a call yesterday from a lady who goes to our church and writes in a newspaper part-time. She wanted to let me know there was an article in the local paper published yesterday about Wae and I and that she wrote it. She was so worried I wouldn't like it or that I would be offended. It was so great so I wanted to share a little bit of what she had to say on here this morning. I was humbled and honored at the things she had to say. I am giving my thoughts and my summary on what Laure wrote. I'm not going to copy it all on here. Just going to get ya' thinking...

Do you like change? Probably not...most people are resistant to change and like to keep their lives in the normal every day routine "they" have planned for. Laure explained that she observes how other people handle change and what they do. This is why they are her "change teachers." She learns from these people positive ways to accept change and how she wants to respond when a change situation comes in her life.

She then went on to explain all that Wae and I went through during Ian's birth, Ian's life, and even through his death. She explained how we handled it...we took our baby home and loved him, we worked hard to make him thrive and we adjusted our plan to Ian's needs, we created Rhizo Kids, started support groups, planned conferences but yet our response to our change was "WE ARE THANKFUL GOD GAVE US IAN." Our response was not to become bitter and angry and turn from God. Don't get me wrong...there have been those days in the deep dark pit when I had horrible thoughts and said some horrible things but by the grace of our heavenly father we climbed out of the pit each time.

She said this..."Talk about change. Mary and Wae, this community, families across the country, and doctors on the other side of the world, were changed by Ian's birth and even by his death." WOW...our little boy did that?!? Yea...I guess he did. What an awesome kid God blessed us with!!!

Ian, a small handicapped little boy with so many limitations changed all of us. We let him change us and we let him make a difference in our lives and everyone around us. I believe from the bottom of my heart that we would not have accepted this change the way we did if we didn't have Jesus in our hearts. There was not one day I did anything worthy of the calling God called me to (Eph. 4:1) yet he worked through me. He did it all guys. Not me!!! Yea...it was a huge change to MY plan to have Ian as my child instead of the healthy child I had always dreamed of. It was a huge change to MY plan to quit my job teaching the perfect grade with the perfect co-workers who I considered close friends. It was a huge change in MY plan to stay home somedays with my little boy hooked up to oxygen and monitors with visits from hospice nurses. But you know what??? It's not about our plans is it? Nope...God has a calling for us and we have to step up to the challenge and accept it and roll with it even if it's different from the plans we had for our lives.

So...start looking for "Change Teachers" in your lives. Look around at how people accept change in their lives and how they respond to it. More than likely at some point in your life you will have to change your plan and roll with the punches. When the time comes are you going to follow the new plan and make the best of it or are you going to crawl up in your own little hole and complain about it for years to come?

I know that now I am going to be on the lookout for change teachers and I hope to learn some great things. Now remember...some of those people may not accept change well and I'm pretty sure those are the people we don't want to model our lives after. : ) Just sayin'..........................

Love you guys and I am updating tomorrow with a fun and exciting party plan for mothers with children who love some painted pottery. I'll post details tomorrow and first come first serve...I promise it is going to be an awesome party that you don't want to miss!!!
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Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Spring Team Shirts...

Team Ian Shirt Spring 2010


This shirt says...
"Soaring for a cure on wings of love" and "In memory of Ian"

Just a quick update before work. I have finalized the Spring Team Ian and Rhizo Kids shirts and I will be ordering them today. I AM NOT TAKING PRE-ORDERS!!! I just don't have time for that right now with work and starting back to school and trying to get in 50 hours of professional development. Sorry!

I will have a date I will set up at my parents office (Cotton States Insurance on Main street) and I will sell all shirts that day. I am hoping to do it on May 12th but it might not happen. Depends on how backed up the shirt shop is. I will be there all day the day I sell them. If you have friends who want shirts then get up an order and that day you can buy for everyone. You can take orders and pick them up yourself but I will not be organizing the orders this time.

If you live out of town and you would like shirts shipped to you I can do that. You can send me your name, address, and shirt sizes and I will respond with your total so you can mail a check. You will have to pay $2 shipping per shirt.



If you are part of our Rhizo Family and you would like some shirts email me ASAP so I can get enough for you. I thought everyone would like the black one that says RCDP on the front. I am ordering very few of this shirt. It is mainly for the Rhizo Kids families coming to the conference but I will have a few extra to sell.



If you volunteered to help be a sitter or volunteer at the conference this summer you will be required to wear a Rhizo Kids or Team Ian or Team Jackson etc. shirt. This is because we want the families to know who is with our group so they can confidentally leave their child with a person who they know is with our group. You can wear a shirt from the first sell, the second sell, whenever. You don't have to buy a new shirt. If you don't have one though you should get one. I think it would be awesome if we all had on the new Team Ian shirts. You don't have to just a thought. : )

I hope you all enjoy the new designs.
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Monday, April 26, 2010

What's your calling?

I know...I know. "Where have you been Mary?" "Are you OK?" "Why have you not updated. Well...let me tell ya'! I have been swamped with living life. It is great to be able to have a full schedule now and make plans and follow through with them. It feels great to have a job where I am expected to show up and make a difference. It feels great to hang out with friends, go to church, workout, go out of town with friends, etc. Don't get me wrong...I would give this all up in an instant to have Ian back in my arms. I can't do that though so I am living life and I am living it to the fullest. I do still have days I cry and throw big ole' pity parties but on those days I pray. And then I pray some more. And then...I pray some more. I just remember my "if/then" statement. "If Ian dies then my God will take care of me." He does just that too.

I was able to go with a group of ladies from our church this weekend to Woodstock, GA and hear Beth Moore speak. She was LIVE and in PERSON and you better believe I loved every second of it. Her conference was on insecurity and was amazing. Her worship leader is Travis Cottrell and he did an amazing job. He sang "Victory in Jesus" in a comtemporary version and it was AWESOME!!! Our church needs to sing it. (Hint...hint Joel Nowak. You would be awesome at this song!!!) I just couldn't control the tears during this song..."I heard about his healing, of his cleansing pow'r revealing, How he made the lame to walk again and caused the blind to see; And then I cried "dear Jesus, come and heal my broken spirt," and somehow Jesus came and bro't to me the victory." Oh I am crying typing this it speaks to me so much! I can't help but have the thought..."why didn't he use his healing to heal my little Ian so I could have him forever" Then I remind myself that he did heal Ian and the young age of two it was just in His courts where the healing took place. And then I remember how he comes every day and heals my broken spirit when no one else can and he brings to me the victory. Powerful song! Oh and then it talked about Heaven and the angels and I could think about was my little Ian there in Victory doing all this song said and I broke down again like I am now again. : ) You should try to find it on You Tube it is AWESOME!!!

Link for the song...
http://s0.ilike.com/play#Travis+Cottrell:Victory+In+Jesus:132635065:s48796379.12278838.13620667.0.2.199%2Cstd_5c7ef4d2f20e4a7dbf7506837ba32b9c

Ok...ok...back to the reason for this post. I have to make this quick I'm running late for work. Ephesians 4:1 says "As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received." Beth spoke about this and explained we are to be used by God. Can you believe he has a calling JUST FOR YOU!!! He really does and boy can you imagine what life is like if you miss His calling. I think a lot of us do miss his calling and that is why life is the way it is. We aren't living according to His will for our lives. Speaking to myself here...maybe if I had been living for God before I had children I would have had healthy children and not have had to go through all the heartbreak to learn the hard lessons I have learned in life. Beth said to imagine it this way...It is your judgement day and you are standing before the throne. There is a huge movie screen and God plays a movie. You say "What is that? That looks like me." and then God points out that this is what he had planned for you but you didn't follow his calling for your life so you missed out on all of this. WOW...is that going to be you and me? No one is going to force the calling on us and make us do the things we are supposed to do in life. Some are easy...go to church, read your bible, live life according to what God wants you to do, etc. Some are hard...follow his plan when you can't see where the path is going, drop everything and move to minister for him, etc. But you are called to a higher calling when you are a believer. So...put off your old self and pun on your new self and find your calling and start living for that. Ephesians 4:22-24 says "You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off you old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires: to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness."

So...today live your life according to God's will and not your will. Try to find your calling in life and live today focused on that. We can worry about tomorrow when it gets here. One day at the time...

I am doing Team Ian shirts and I'll have the designs ready this week. I'll post pics when ready. thanks to all who helped in the designing this time. It was hard for me to do this without Ian.

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Thursday, April 15, 2010

Spring Break...Ahh...

Now that I am working again I am able to enjoy the wonder of Spring Break. Sleeping late every day, laying out, shopping with friends, and being a big ole' bum! Of course there are the "chores" I need to complete that have been piling up waiting on spring break. Cleaning out my closet and finding clothes that have been lost under the big pile of clothes piled up on the floor, cleaning out the pantry and throwing out the two year old food that has accumulated in there, and organizing all that has become unorganized. In my view, if I can accomplish one of those "chores" I'll be doing good.

I am speaking at two churches this weekend so today will be spent working on the message I will give to two different groups of women. I will be able to share Ian with others and talk about my faith all at the same time. I love talking about Ian and how wonderful he was so to be able to stand there with undivided attention talking about my little man is wonderful. After I speak Friday night I am going to spend the night with my nephew Owen. (Of course his parents will be there too but Owen is the prize) Sorry Matthew and Kyla...that's just what happens when you have kids. : ) I am so excited. I haven't seen him since Easter and it seems like forever ago!!! I can't wait!

Before Ian was born I worked out with a personal trainer for a couple of years. I gripped and complained every second I was there and moaned and groaned about the pain he was putting me through. It was bad too let me tell ya' I have been wanting to get back in with him for quite some time now and I finally did. YAY...I am working out with Wae. Before I could start though I had to promise there would be no complaining and no saying "I can't do that" no rolling the eyes, and no bad faces at Daniel. : ) If you worked out with me before you know exactly what I'm talking about. ATTITUDE!!! Well, it got me to thinking. It's kind of like our walk with God. We face trials and go through things and boy don't we moan and groan and complain about it a lot. Don't you know God is thinking just like my trainer..."Quit complaining!!! I'm sick and tired of your whining. Just buck up and do it and in the end you will be proud of what you see." You know, after we work out and eat right and lose the weight we are so proud of ourselves. We are so proud that we were dedicated to our goal and that we were able to accomplish something we set our minds to. Our "trainer" knew what would come if we would just follow his directions. God has to be the same...he knows what is coming. We just have to stick to our guns and follow Him. We don't need to quit when the going gets tough and go inch our way back to our sin, our gripping and complaining, our moaning, our old ways. We need to work each and every day to fulfill what God wants for us and in the end we will be so much better off. So today, picture God as your "trainer" and picture him saying..."Go, go, go. You can do it! I'll help you finish as long as I can see you are doing your best and trying to reach our goal. Go Mary go! I'm so proud of you today!"

Well, it's off to do cardio. I promised Daniel I would do it. I am eating a plain ole' boiled egg for breakfast and then it's off to walk three miles. I can hardly move after my workout yesterday but I'm not complaining about it. : )

Funny side note...was putting down my 10 pound dumbbell and slammed it on my ring finger. My finger swelled up faster than you can imagine. It was blue instantly and I was panicking inside. BUT...I promised no complaining so I toughed it out. But man it hurt!!! Whew...I won't ever do that again!

Have a good weekend and please remember me in prayer as I speak on Friday and Sunday evening. I pray someone is touched by something I have to say.

See ya' later.......................
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Friday, April 9, 2010

Happy and Sad???

Today is mine and Wae's 5 year anniversary, 6 months since our little angel met Jesus, our niece Ellisan's birthday, and my good friend Tracey Thomas' birthday. It's a day with plenty to celebrate but the only thing I can seem to focus on is what I was doing exactly 6 months ago at this time. To top that off it was a Friday and today is a Friday. It seems to make it worse for some reason...

Five years...I can't believe 5 years ago I married my high school sweetheart! I can't believe all we have been through together in 5 years. All we have accomplished and all we have survived. Thankfully it made us grow together instead of apart. I bet many marriages who have a special child and to top that one who dies don't make it very long. It's a strain to get through and I bet some people just call it quits. I am so thankful my best friend is my husband!

Easter...we had a great day. We really did. When we got to church Colin, Ellisan, and Ella Kathryn met us at the cross. Both girls wanted me to hold them and they wouldn't have it any other way. I joked I could do twins. We all got our pictures made together and it was a great feeling to know how much they love us. The girls were just a giggling at me holding them both. Of course none of the pics show Ellisan giggling but she was. We had Wae's family over for an Easter egg hunt and that was a lot of fun to hang out outside and just relax. It was a beautiful day.

I've been working a lot because next week is Spring Break week and I am trying to make up for the hours I'll miss. I just love the kids I see. Even the ones who I'm not getting through to have me wrapped pretty good.

Been working around the clock on Rhizo Kids stuff. This conference is going to get the best of me. It's a lot of work to plan. We have dinner for Friday and Saturday night taken care of. Thanks everyone for offering to help. You are awesome. People are already dropping drinks off at my parent's office and we really appreciate it.

I have been checking on my teaching certificate to renew it soon and I have hit a few snags in the road. Since I took off work for 3 years to be with Ian I am having to go back to school and take a doctorate level course. UGH! I have gripped and complained about it and then last night I really scolded myself. I mean seriously! What do I have to complain about?!? I was able to enjoy one of God's angels for 2 years and all I have to do is take one little ole' college course to make up for my time off. Get over it!!! I also have to do 50 professional development hours to make up all I have missed. Whew...that's going to be a lot of work. I just completed a 12 hour course last night for that and will have a summer consummed of professional development. Not complaining though because I had two of the best years of my life with Ian so I'll do all of this with a smile on my face : )

Well better go. We are celebrating our anniversary today! I'll be spending the day with my husband and best friend and I am determined to focus on that and not the fact that it's been 6 months since Ian left us.

Have a great weekend everyone!!!

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Friday, April 2, 2010

I put a picture of Ian's marker on here today. We debated over whether or not to share this with everyone but we feel like it is our last thing of Ian we will have to share so there it is. We also know we have a lot of family who lives out of town and can't see his marker and really wanted to so this is for you guys. We love you all and we thank you for loving our little man.

Good morning everyone! I woke up this morning to a smiling little boy named Owen and it was wonderful. For those of you who don't know...Owen is our nephew and he spent the night with Wae and I last night. He is such a little flirt too. He flashes his little grin at me and he's got whatever he wants. I already wanted another baby but after being with a healthy child for this long I see what it's like to be a mom to a healthy child and it makes me want one even more. It doesn't help out any that he has to be the best baby ever...no crying, no fussing, just playing by himself and talking up a storm. I love him to pieces!!!

I have been thinking about last Easter a lot since it is this weekend and it will be our first Easter without Ian. Every "first" occasion without Ian is hard no matter what the occasion is. Last Easter Ian and I were in a program at church where I gave my cardboard testimony. Wae was gone to the Master's golf tournament and got to experience that for the first time. Ian and I spent the day at my parents with my two grandmothers and I can remember napping with him on the couch and not sharing him very much. Some days I was bad about that and I remember that from last Easter. I'm glad I didn't share him since it was our last Easter together. I remember everything the Easter bunny brought and how much fun we had together. I am so thankful I cherished every living second with Ian and didn't take a thing for granted. No regrets was my goal and no regrets is just exactly what I have.




After my post the other day I had so many volunteers email me about helping with the Rhizo Kids conference. I love our community and friends and family who support Rhizo Kids still even though Ian isn't here to fight for. It's amazing that you all still care and will fight for the kids who you don't even know. It is especially hard for me to continue in the fight for the cure, but I sure don't want Ian's life to be in vain. I really feel like I am in the fight for a treatment to better their lives not a cure necessarily but you all know what I mean. We have a family who means a lot to our family who has already volunteered to bring dinner Friday evening for the conference so now we will need people for Thursday and Saturday evenings. Those who have volunteered to bring desserts will be used with the meals that are brought. You are all awesome and I really, really appreciate you!!!

Well, I have a little boy looking at me with big blue eyes who is ready for some Aunt Mary time so I think I'll get off of here and go play with that little darling who is talking to me. I added a pic of Owen from yesterday so you all can see how much he has grown and just how cute he is. Isn't he a doll?!?


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