{30 things that make you wonderful...}

Today you are 30... I am so thankful for the day you were born and all you have become in the last 30 years...

1. You have kind and genuine eyes that light up when you smile...
2. You always see the best in others and have the gift of encouragement...
3. You laugh uncontrollably at things that I don't think are funny (but it sure is fun to watch you laugh!)
4. You have undying devotion to coke products and won't taint your pallet with pepsi ;)
5. You can grow a full beard in about 5 minutes flat...
6. You keep the thermostat at 71 just so I won't freeze... 
7. You'll wear your slippers to the store because you just don't care...
8. You're a quiet leader... 
9. You have integrity that I've never seen in another person ... ever...
10. You just discovered the wonder and coziness that is pajama pants last week...
11. You will watch episode after episode of Psych with me 
12. You can make popcorn on the stove without burning a single kernel...
13. Making popcorn is the extent of your cooking knowledge - but you'll eat anything I put on the table with a smile :)
14. You are a wii table tennis master!
15. You are a cat person, but still promise to get me a dog someday...
16. You sacrifice yourself for others every single day... 
17. You love to learn...
18. You have an adventurous spirit... 
19. You love the outdoors and could spend hours in the woods...
20. You get as giddy as a child when it snows :)
21. You rub my back every night before bed and every morning to wake me up...
22. You can insert and Indiana Jones quote into any situation... and it's hilarious...
23. You are a complete and total romantic...
24. You are loyal and steady always...
25. You share my love of coffee...
26. You can make any situation more fun with a silly accent and your crazy faces...
27. You have a passion for those less fortunate and know you're here to make a difference...
28. You love our children...
29. You love me...
30. You love your God...

Happy 30th my love... I don't know how I got such an amazing husband, but I thank God every day for you and your life... 

{plans for the new year?}

 First of all - congratulations to Leigh - winner of the Poppie Lane giveaway!!!

There are just a few days left in 2010. We're packing as much fun into those days as possible!

 (source)

Today we're having a fun lunch with John's siblings (and our two adorable nephews.) Tomorrow at noon starts THE marathon... the Lord of the Ring marathon. All 3 dvd's with breaks just for eating. This was mostly John's and my brother's idea. :/ Still fun though. Then Friday is New Year's Eve and a little other something... JOHN'S BIRTHDAY! Not just any birthday either... the BIG 3-0! :) Bowling may or may not be part of the celebration... and of course staying up til midnight!

 (source)

Then comes the start of a brand new year... time keeps passing by and I hope it flies because exactly 2 weeks from New Year's Day I'll be holding my little boy for the first time ever. Time can just go ahead and stop then. :)

What do you have planned for 2011? Anything big happening? Any new goals? Hopes... dreams?

{He smiles!}

Yup! We just got an email this morning with 5 more pictures of our little man and these words...

"He is such a beautiful little boy! Those eyes! I mean, most Ethiopian babies have big ole' eyes, but his take the cake! Gorgeous!... (name of person who took pic) said he did smile but wasn't able to catch it on camera. He said he was very alert and looking all around at his little friends. I can't wait till you can meet him yourself! Just a couple more weeks!!!!!"

It's so wonderful to read that our little man smiles! We don't have any pictures of him smiling and I wasn't sure if he had started yet. I've been researching like crazy about the age most babies smile, but never found a clear answer. Some babies start early - others later. 3 months seems to be the average and Tucker turned 3 months on Sunday! :) I think he's saving his smile for us to see in person - 2 1/2 weeks!!!!

 {I can't wait to see these lips widen into a big grin for us!! Most of all I can't wait to smooch them!}

**Don't forget to enter the giveaway!! Ends tonight at midnight! :)

{a snow day giveaway!}

In honor of the 15 inches of snow we managed to accumulate here in Virginia Beach (!!!!) let's have a snow day giveaway! One lucky winner will their pick between my two  most popular Poppie Lane items...

The Ainsley Poppy Headband

OR

The Sophie Rosette Headband

AND your choice of any ONE PAIR of Fabric Knot Earrings found at the Poppie Lane website!

What do you have to do for a chance to win these fun accessories? You must be a follower to enter this giveaway, so head on over to the right sidebar and let's be pals! :) Then...

Leave a comment telling me which headband and which earrings you would pick if you won.

For additional entries:

• "like" Poppie Lane on facebook
• follow Poppie Lane on twitter
• share about this giveaway on facebook or twitter (@poppielane)
• share about this giveaway on your blog

Giveaway now closed... congratulations to Leigh Ladd!! :)

I'm off to enjoy some soup and coffee with my love... and maybe build a snowman! :)

{Merry Christmas from our {growing} family to yours!}

  

As you can see, we're really quite in love and rather enjoy smooching! (tis the season for mistletoe afterall!) We are also about to become a family of three! In exactly 3 weeks from Christmas Day we'll be holding our little boy and marveling over the grace of God in our lives... He has been so good to us this year and we continue to be in awe that He sent His SON to be born in a barn simply because He loves us so much...

{The BEST Christmas gift ever given and received... ever!}

Today when John came home from work (he is a youth pastor and works at the church right behind our house) he had a large cardboard box in his arms. It was filled to the brim with items for children. I asked what it was and he explained that as he was on his way out the door a man and his child were walking to the church. John asked if he could help them and they said that they were hoping to remain anonymous, but that they had come to our adoption yard sale this summer and wanted to give us this box. The items in the box were to take to the children at Hannah's Hope (the orphanage where Tucker is being cared for now.) There was a card on top. John gave him a big thank you and brought the box home. We opened the card on the couch. Tears poured down our faces as we read the words written by this family...

Dear Sweet Casper Family, 

Around September of last year we wanted, as a family, to make it a point to remember all of the prayers that God was constantly answering in our lives. We came up with the idea to write down in a special journal the specific prayer answered. These prayers ranged from needing rest, sick friends and family members, safety on trips, protection during surgeries, and such more more. It was so amazing to watch God's hand at work in our lives. It taught us on a deeper level, the power of prayer, and how much God truly does care for us. What we also did, every time a prayer was answered, we put some money in a bucket. Sometimes it was just pennies and other times quarters and dollar bills. We weren't quite sure what we were going to do with the money, but we knew it would be used for God's Kingdom. Soon after we began the project we decided the money should go to a birthday present for Jesus. As the holidays drew closer, our prayers became, "Jesus, what do you want for your birthday?" Sitting at the computer one day, a touching video clip Lauren posted grabbed our hearts. Then, a still small voice came, "THAT is what I want for my birthday. I want you to help bring that baby boy home to this family." As the days have gone by, it's been so exciting dumping money in the bucket, knowing that it was going to help Tucker come home. We know it isn't very much, but we hope it helps. It is our hope, that all of our answered prayers, could be a part of your prayers being answered as well. For Tucker to come home! We love you and can't wait to see all that God is going to do in and with your family!

In & By His Love,

A Family Standing With You in Prayer on this Journey

The envelope held $135. I do not know who this family is, only that they are a precious and incredible part of our journey. What a gift from God!! When they started this tradition (last September) is when John and I strongly felt called to adopt from Ethiopia. God was working out his plan in two different homes... all for one little boy. I can't help but weep when I think of the selflessness and love that went into this gift. This card will be saved forever and shown to Tucker often, as a reminder of how loved he is by the Father. I can't hardly wrap my mind around the fact that God told this family that He wanted for HIS BIRTHDAY GIFT for Tucker to come home. My heart is just in awe... and bursting with praise!

(children's clothes of all sizes, baby blankets, and much needed toys for babies!)

(our donations box so far)

To this wonderful family -- thank you from the very bottom of our hearts!! Words cannot describe how grateful we are for your amazing gift! This is BY FAR the most wonderful Christmas present we've ever been given!!!

{brown paper packages: great gift wrap ideas}

I'm a sucker for peer pressure so I'll jump on the bandwagon and post about my favorite gift wrapping ideas this year! Here are some of my favorite ideas this year...

 (source)

Like my friend Franchesca, I am all about the Kraft paper gift wrapping this season! It's so simple, but so beautiful and has me humming "brown paper packages tied up with string, these are a few of my favorite things!" I love the use of Baker's Twine here too, still very simple but adds a lot! You could print out some cute gift tags (see below for links) and have a very classy package to give.

(source)

This sheet music wrapping paper is adorable too! If you can't find any at the store you can find a google image of sheet music to download and print out on white paper. Use that to wrap smaller gifts. Tie some ribbon or twine around it and add a jingle bell for an extra musical effect! :)

(source)

Melissa had the wonderful idea of assigning gift wrap themes to the children, women, and men. Pick a cute paper out and wrap all the kids gifts in that same paper. Then pick something just for the ladies, and another just for the men. There are so many wonderful options out there!

*Here are some links to printable gift tags:

Dear Lillie has some beautiful and very classy gift tag downloads here.

Small Bird Studio offers both Christmas card printables and two very cute tag options as well here.

It is What it Is has some more cute printables here.

Happy gift wrapping!! :)

{on my tree}

I love waking up in the morning and enjoying a steaming mug of coffee next to our Christmas tree. It's so cozy and warm... it's the perfect start to a day! I love looking at all our ornaments knowing that each one is special and unique. Each one means something to us. Most were gifts, some are homemade, all add to the beauty and delight that our Christmas tree brings to our little home.

Here are a couple of my favorites...

{this one was purchased last year from Amy - to help bring home Elijah... this year she sent us one with Tucker's full name on it.} 

{This ornament was part of a large batch that were handmade by Darla's relative to sell at a craft sale to raise funds for our adoption last Christmas! I decided to try to make my own this year and whipped up quite a few... they're really easy and make great gifts (tutorial coming soon!)}

{This was my first ever ornament... bought by my grandparents in 1984... love}

What makes your tree special? Do you have ornaments that mean a lot to you and bring back happy memories when you look at them?

{changes}

 Life is all about growing and changing as time goes by. We learn from experiences, the people we surround ourselves with, and the new paths we take. I've done quite a bit of growing and changes in the last 2 years (since I started this blog.) Through the process I've made small changes in the blog and played with the "look" as well as the types of posts I publish. However, the time has come for a bigger change. I am not getting rid of this blog - but I have changed it significantly.

(source)

God has brought some new things into my life and new passions that I feel deserve my utmost attention. As most of you know, I started my shop Poppie Lane to fundraise for our adoption. It has been extremely successful thanks to many of you! I just sort of happened upon it, but I have realized over the last few months that I LOVE being the owner/designer of Poppie Lane! It's the niche I've been looking for - a way to use the talents God gave me and also a way to allow me to do something I am so passionate about (adopt.) So, I'm not stopping! I am going to continue to pour my time and energy into growing Poppie Lane and using the profits to change the world a little bit at a time.

 (source)

You see - once our adoption has been fully funded we aren't going to stop supporting adoptions. Nope - we're going to choose one adopting family per month to receive 50% of Poppie Lane profit for the month we're partnered with them. I am so stinking excited about this!! As Poppie Lane grows (I pray it will) we will look for additional ways to use the profit to give to those in need.

So, how will that affect this blog? Drastically. I recently moved Poppie Lane {the shop} to the next level by switching over to Big Cartel. (yayyy!) I then took the blogspot address and turned it into Poppie Lane {the blog.} However, I do not feel I can keep up with 2 blogs and a shop and a little one coming in just a couple months! So, this blog has now become the Poppie Lane blog. Yup - the name has changed, the design has changed, the nature of some of the posts will change... but it is still ME! :)

 (source)

I am aware that some of you will choose to stop following. That's okay. When we move forward and grow, there are some that aren't going in the same direction, and it becomes time to part ways. No hard feelings and only best wishes! :) I strongly feel that this is the right decision for this time in our lives.

Thank you so much for sharing this journey with me -- it's such a joy!

{Cute Christmas Finds}

One more week til Christmas Eve!!! I am so excited! Thanks for stopping by, if it's your first time please click here to read my welcome post and learn a bit more about this blog and it's plans...

I love the Christmas season and I especially love little touches around the house to remind me of winter and Christmas. Here's a few of my latest finds that I am loving this Christmas ...

This hot chocolate sign was found at this Etsy shop... adorable! 

I need this hanging in my kitchen at all times!

 How cute are these hand knit gingerbread ornaments?!

You can get the pattern here!

I love Gussy and her stockings are fabulous! 

My favorite is the red gingham above and found here

What are your favorite things this Christmas? Any great weekend plans? Today I'll be sitting in my home office with a mug of hot chocolate, getting some work done to the sound of Christmas music in the background and the sight of snow everywhere out my window... **sigh** it really is the most wonderful time of the year!

{an *almost* new year and a new plan!}

I can't wait for 2011 to get here - only a couple more weeks!!! There are so many excited things to come this year:

two trips to Africa (my first time overseas... slightly scary, but very cool)

the homecoming of our baby boy (!!!!)

learning how to be a mom (super scary... but oh how I can't wait)

and... a new site for my updated, super awesome, way improved shop!
PLUS ... wait for it... tons of new products and a "for the home" line!! whaaaatt!

Yup - if you're here looking to buy some Poppie Lane goodness, well you're still in the right place! Just shift your eyes to the menu bar up top and click {SHOP}  - you'll be directed straight to the new place to buy your favorite accessories.

Over the last week I've spent hours upon hours switching things over to Big Cartel and making the store look all pretty. Then I spent more hours turning this into a real blog, rather than a shop. I love the new design and I am so proud that I did it all by myself! I ordered a new batch of business cards (ran out a looong time ago) and I'm in the process of completely reorganizing my home office. Hopefully I'll have it all done before Tucker gets home!

So this will now be a place where I'll talk about Poppie Lane products (of course) and keep you updated on new items and sales and such. I might be hosting a giveaway or two as well. Then I will just ramble on about crafting, blogging, inspiration, friends, and life in general. I hope you'll stick around! (maybe even become a follower??)

Check out the new shop and tell me what you think of the new place and the new design here!

a new week

 I'm so happy a new week is here. Last week was the pits. We got a call on Tuesday morning from our case worker "K." Tucker was sick. Really sick. They were still waiting on test results to tell us what was wrong and at the time they didn't know anything at all. So we prayed and kept the information pretty much to ourselves.

Thursday morning K called again - Tucker was admitted to the hospital. No results yet, but he was getting much worse. Friday morning we finally received the test results in a document along with the doctor's notes from Ethiopia. Of course we couldn't understand the results because they were all in doctor lingo - so we left a message with our pediatrician here and waiting for him to call back. We waited alllll day - he finally called late on Friday.

Basically the results said a big fat nothing. They were completely inconclusive. We had no idea why he was so sick. All we knew was that he was diagnosed with malabsorbtion. The little guy can't absorb his food for  some unknown reason. He was losing a lot of weight and according to the doctor in Ethiopia "becoming emaciated." Our doctor gave us reassurance that he was pleased with the care Tucker was receiving and that they were doing everything right. He said if he was there he would be doing the exact same thing. So, Tucker was put on a specialized diet of pre-digested food. That way he doesn't have to worry about digesting it - just absorbing it. He's also receiving several meds through an IV in his head.

We got another call from K yesterday -- Tucker was discharged from the hospital and is back at Hannah's Hope!!!! He is doing much better, but is still a very sick little boy. He has gained less than one pound in the last 9 weeks. When he was 4 weeks old he was in the 20th percentile for weight... he's not even on the chart anymore, he's dropped wayyy below.

Please pray for our little dude. I wish I could show you pictures because he is the cutest little thing you ever saw and he has the brightest eyes. I just want to get him home. Only one more month til he's in my arms!!! Until then - we would love to have the world lifting our little boy up...

<center><a href="http://laurenalexis1.blogspot.com/2010/12/new-week.html"><img src="http://i605.photobucket.com/albums/tt138/laurenalexis1/africa-1-1-1-1.jpg" /> </a></center>

**Just in case anyone is wondering why we didn't share this sooner and why I haven't been answering my phone much... it's because I haven't really wanted to talk about it. It was a very hard week for John and I with a lot of tears. To be honest, the last thing we wanted was to talk about it with other people before we were even able to process the information ourselves. Even now, I still don't like to talk about it with others much. We know that God will take care of him and right now we just want to take comfort in that fact and leave it be. BUT - we SO SO SO appreciate your prayers and support!! :)

©2009 Living By Faith

christmas movies and music

 It's Christmas Party Friday and I'm linking up with Critty Joy again! :) Music and Movies is the theme! :)

I'll start with my favorite Christmas movies... top 3. First, is Holiday Inn with Bing Cosby and Fred Astaire. I first saw this movie a few years ago while spending Thanksgiving with my grandparents in Illinois. There is an old theater in town that they've kept authentic. It's really neat  and they show older movies. So, the Saturday after Thanksgiving we went and watched Holiday Inn and John and I fell in love with the movie... so we came home and bought it! Now I get to watch it every year! Bit of trivia: it's in this movie that Bing Cosby debuts the song "White Christmas." It's the coziest scene ever...

Twelve years after Holiday Inn came out, my second favorite Christmas movie was released... inspired by my first! :):) Yup - White Christmas!! More trivia: Fred Astaire was actually supposed to star opposite Bing Cosby in this one too, but he was already tied up in another movie. Still, any excuse to hear Bing Cosby sing with George Clooney's mom is wonderful!!

My third favorite Christmas movie also contains my absolute favorite Christmas song... the movie is Meet Me in St Louis with Judy Garland, and here is the song for your listening delight...

What are your favorite Christmas movies and songs???

©2009 Living By Faith

christmas gift idea

 I am still taking Christmas orders for Poppie Lane accessories! AND I am having a sale! All Christmas accessories are 40% off! That means you could get this adorable snap clip for just $3!

 Peppermint Snap Clip

There are also a great selection of headbands, brooches, and earrings to choose from! 

 Allison Fabric Knot Earrings

Addie Poppy Brooch

Remember that all profits go toward bringing home our son, Tucker, from Ethiopia! If you're shopping for a cause this Christmas you will love stuffing someone's stocking with Poppie Lane accessories! :) 

We have just $1,500 left to raise to bring our little guy home - will you help us get there? 

©2009 Living By Faith

tucker's growing ...

 It's been 6 1/2 weeks since we received our referral with pictures of our then 4 week old little boy. Can you believe he's already 10 weeks old?? He'll be 3 months the day after Christmas ... goodness. We are so thankful for the families who have traveled to Ethiopia since we received our referral most have been so gracious and offered to take pictures of Tucker and send them to us. There are too  many children for our agency to keep up with updating all the families, so we don't receive any word from them. Our only glimpse into what out little guy is doing is through the words from other families and the pictures they take.

So far we have received 7 additional pictures since his referral. All the emails attached to the pictures say the same thing: he is very tiny, he is very calm, and he is very sweet. It makes my heart melt!! In a few of the pictures he is being held and fed by his special mother (the wonderful woman caring for him while we wait.) In a few others he is swaddled in blankets and laying in a little moses basket to sunbathe - it's seriously adorable!! I so wish I could share the pictures on this blog, but I can't until we bring him home. Be prepared for photo overload when that time comes!! :)

Here's a sneak peak of one of the recent pictures (milky mouth, boogers, and all!) ...

©2009 Living By Faith

catching up

 We're finally all healthy here at the Casper house! I still have a small cough, but that's no problem and should go away in a few weeks. Being so sick means being wayyyy behind... on everything! Housework, grocery shopping, phone calls, letters... way behind. I've been keeping up with the Poppie Lane orders pretty well because people depend on me to get their items there by Christmas. But, this week is catch up week for me. I've got a couple special people to call (Grandma and Heather - I will call you soon!) I've got laundry to wash, dry, and fold. I've got thank you cards to write and now I need to decide if I'm even going to attempt Christmas cards this year. Christmas shopping is slowww going. We're shopping with a cause this year, so I've been able to do a good bit online. BUT most of our gifts will be homemade because all our money is going to bring Tucker home. We're heavily involved in our church Christmas play and as props manager I can say that I have collected zero props so far... and the play is in less than 2 weeks. : / Now that I think about all I have to do I'm tired ... maybe I'll just take a nap and hope that it's January when I wake up! :) just kidding... a little...

So, catch up on the blog: before I got sick we had a wonderful date day in Williamsburg. We drove through the most beautiful country (suffolk, smithfield, and surry) to get to the ferry boat. We took the ferry over to yorktown. This would be the second time in my life I've ridden a ferry and it was so fun! The timing couldn't have been more perfect because the sun set just as we got on the ferry and our 20 minute ride was beautiful!

 Then we went to the Yankee Candle Factory to look around and experience Christmas and indoor snowing!

 We ate dinner and had the most wonderful time before driving back home. :)

Also in November: a church baby shower that was so much fun and a huge blessing! A free bathroom makeover that I'll post about soon! Plane tickets purchased for Ethiopia (we leave January 12!!!!) and a wonderful Thanksgiving! :)


Sooo - how've you been??

Don't forget to order your 2011 calendar at Much Ado About You!!

©2009 Living By Faith

prayer request

 I received an email from a blog reader yesterday who asked if I would pray for her nephew. She also asked if I would share this with you all so that many would be lifting this sweet boy up to the Lord.

"Little D" (as we'll call him) is 19 months old. The doctor's recently told his parents that they suspect he has autism. This is of course hard news for any parent to hear. Please pray for Little D, that the Lord would heal him and make him a light to the world. Also pray for his parents. They are not believers and therefore feel they have nowhere to turn. Pray that they would find Jesus through this experience and that he would comfort them and give wisdom. And finally, pray for this sweet aunt of Little D who loves her nephew so much that she would contact someone she barely knows to ask for prayer - knowing that the body of Christ would stand with her and petition the Lord on her family's behalf.

God hears our prayers. He loves us and knows what is best for us. He is sovereign over all. Please please join me in praying for sweet Little D.

©2009 Living By Faith

giveaway!!

Our childrens pastor's wife, Molly, is a dear friend of mine and a fantastic seamstress. She recently started a blog  and she's giving away this beautiful pillow...

 Head on over to her wonderful blog The Industrial Cottage to enter!! (and become a follower of hers while you're at it!)

©2009 Living By Faith

christmas party friday- german apple pie!

 I'm linking up with my pal Critty Joy each Friday this month for a Christmas themed delight! This week it's recipes... I am so excited to get new ideas from everyone! :)

I made German Apple Pie for the first time when John and I had been married a little over a year and it was our second Christmas together. We lived in a log cabin out in the country (seriously, it was the real deal...)

... told ya ;)

Anyway, it was a gorgeous Christmas season and I found this recipe in my Taste of Home cookbook. I tried it out and it became our new favorite! It's so so SO yummy!!

Ingredients

• 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup shortening
• 1 teaspoon Spice Island® Pure Vanilla Extract
• 2 to 3 tablespoons ice water
• 
  FILLING:
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 6 cups sliced peeled tart apples
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• Whipped cream, optional

Directions

• In a small bowl, combine flour and salt; cut in the shortening until crumbly. Add vanilla. Gradually add water, tossing with a fork until dough forms a ball. Roll out pastry to fit a 9-in. pie plate. Transfer pastry to pie plate. Trim pastry to 1/2 in. beyond edge of pie plate; flute edges.
• For filling, combine the sugar, flour and cinnamon; sprinkle 3 tablespoons into crust. Layer with half of the apples; sprinkle with half of the remaining sugar mixture. Repeat layers. Pour cream over all.
• Bake at 450° for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 350° bake for 55-60 minutes or until apples are tender. Cool on a wire rack. Store in the refrigerator. Serve with whipped cream if desired. Yield: 8 servings.

 Bon Apetit!

©2009 Living By Faith