SweetPea Castle

Wings or a noose?

When your youths become young adults, how do you know if you are giving them wings... or enough rope to hang themselves?!?  Do you ever really feel like they are "grown up" enough to handle themselves?

Kyra was in a car accident this afternoon.  She had the misfortune of rear-ending a pick-up truck in her little Toyota Prius.  She was coming off an off-ramp into town and the car in front of her came to a rather sudden and abrupt stop... she just wasn't able to stop in time.  I know that she is horribly shaken, but she is okay.  Her car... I hear is not so good.

She is 18 and seems to feel that she is invincible and has time to do whatever she wants without worrying about the consequences.  This is NOT what we raised her to live or believe.  Nor, is it true.  But, who am I to really know what I'm talking about?!?  My heart cries for her and I pray fervently for her future.  I love her so much and it hurts to see her searching for love and acceptance in all the wrong ways/places.

I am praying tonight that she knows how much I love her... but more than that... that she knows how much GOD loves her!

3/26 To-Do List

Here is this weeks list:

1. Taxes... ugh! 
2. Complete Inventory... UGH! UGH! UGH!
   • PUL
   • Wovens
   • Knits
   • Velour (cotton, OSV, OLV, OBV, Sherpa, etc.)
   • HFT
   • Microfleece
   • Snaps 
   • Other Misc stuff.
3. Application process for GCDH  Done... now waiting for response/decision.  Planning on two finished AIOs.
4. Brooke's 1 Fitted and 5 AIOs (due 3/15)  Completed... shipped last one 3/26
5. 3/7 Charity Raffle AIO ~ won by Heather (heatherfinlay)  Completed... shipped 3/27
6. Work in Sarah's single fitted order  Completed... shipped 3/26
7. Work in Becki's Order
8. Check with Kim (myltlbunch) about her custom order.
9. Update fabric options on the website.  In process
10. Work on my blog layout/design/options.
11. Start planning for 4/3 MiddayFaire stocking
12. Next embroidery file purchase(s)  In process - trying to decide.

Peace in the chaos

Every time I put Tabitha in the church nursery... she ends up sick by Tuesday evening.  Ugh ugh UGH!!!  She's right back to having a running/stuffy nose and being irritable and overtired.  But, I'm tired of living in the nursing mother's room every Sunday.  I want to be able to sit next to my husband and actually follow the message in MY Bible!  At least she's smiley and giggles at 5 in the morning.  ;-)

I am waiting on a response to an email for my last custom order that I need to finish.  I think I'm going to send out the rest of it today with a note asking her to contact me about the one diaper that I can't finish.  I'll ship it seperately once I get the details fixed with her.  I feel so stupid.  It's MY fault that this diaper isn't finished already.  I totally spaced on the fact that I don't have aqua snaps and microfleece.  Bah!  I meant to send her an email before I invoiced her and ask her to pick different, but I totally forgot and missed the problem until I was almost completely finished with her order.  Now, I'm afraid she's not getting my emails or something.  But, I don't want to delay shipping these others.

I'm going to put a couple of "seconds" up in the cart later today.  I'm going to be working on several other in-stock items that are partially finished.  Otherwise, I'm taking the next two to three weeks and taking a break.  I have GOT to do a complete inventory in order to finish my taxes.  And, I have to finish my taxes in order to pay off my credit cards.  And, I HAVE to do that.  I am paying out a fortune in finance charges right now.

This break will also be good for two other reasons.  I have to get the house decluttered, cleaned and prepped to go on the market.  I'm thinking it will go on the late/end of April. Also, my sister and neice are coming to visit in just over a week.  I can hardly wait to see them!  Mikayla is just three weeks younger than Tabitha.  And Judi just found out recently that they are expecting their next one in September.  It will be good to spend some time just hanging out.

Time to run.  I need more coffee... my Bible is calling to me... and Tabitha has decided that she is NOT going to take a nap right now (no matter how exhausted she really is).  Then, I'm getting packages ready for shipping and starting my inventory with the snaps.  Have an AWESOME Wednesday!

3/19 To-Do List

Here is this weeks list:

1. Taxes... ugh!  In process
2. Complete Inventory... UGH! UGH! UGH!
   • PUL
   • Wovens
   • Knits  In process
   • Velour (cotton, OSV, OLV, OBV, Sherpa, etc.)
   • HFT
   • Microfleece
   • Snaps  Completed
   • Other Misc stuff.
3. Application process for GCDH  Done... now waiting for response/decision.  Planning on two finished AIOs.
4. Brooke's 1 Fitted and 5 AIOs (due 3/15)  In process.. waiting for response about an issue... shipped 5 with a note about the 6th.  Waiting for email/contact from her.
5. Sophie's 3 AIOs (due 3/16)  Shipped 3/21
6. 3/7 Charity Raffle AIO ~ won by Heather (heatherfinlay)  In process
7. Work in Sarah's single fitted order  In process
8. Work in Becki's Order
9. Check with Kim (myltlbunch) about her custom order.
10. Update fabric options on the website.  In process
11. Work on my blog layout/design/options.
12. Start planning for 4/3 MiddayFaire stocking
13. Next embroidery file purchase(s)

Still sick

We are still dealing with sick littles.  Tabi just hasn't slept much for the last week... and last night was awful.  It doesn't help that Jason had to go into work for an emergency last night and didn't get home and to bed until late... and Tabi was sleeping with me.  Tabitha is usually such a happy and content little thing.  She's just grumpy and clingy right now.  I'm also not feeling so well.  I'm praying that tonight will bring some decent sleep.

We've got realtors coming to the house at 5pm to walk through and tell us what they think we should do to put it on the market... and see if they are a match for us.  This should be interesting since the house is a HUGE mess right now and I just am not going to make myself nuts over this initial walk-through.  They need to SEE that it needs this amount of work before it goes on the market... and that we are a family that will still be living in this house while it's on the market.

We also had the septic tank pumped this morning.  I had it pumped last MAY!!!!  And, it was almost to the point of overflow again.  I am MUCH wiser now... NO more "flushable" wipes in the potty.  They are NOT septic safe... and it doesn't matter what the package says.  I'm also going to send that manufacturer my bill and tell them that they need to reimburse me AND remove that incorrect note from their products.  $300 is too much to just throw away.

Ah well... now that I've finished my cup of coffee and Noah's homeschool work... it's time to get back to sewing.  I've got 8 AIOs to finish up and ship out by Saturday.  It's going to be a busy couple of days.  :-)

Sick little ones

I spent yesterday morning in the peds office with Tabi.  She has double ear infections and needs nebulizer treatments for the wheezing.  This isn't new to me... we've been through this with each of our other four children.  But, that doesn't make it easier.  So, now we're doing breathing treatments every 4-6 hours, oral steroids, and antibiotics for her.  Eliana isn't doing much better.  But, she seems to not be wheezing enough to need the neb treatments or antibiotics yet.  The tubes in her ears our doing their job... and for that I am immensely grateful.  Praise God that Noah seems to be staying healthy.  At least we've been able to keep up with his homeschool work during this craziness.  We've been dealing with this for a week now.

Eliana has potty learned.  She is growing up SO fast.

I am amazed at God's mercy.  I am exhausted and cranky.  I also think that my hormones are more than a little haywire.  I find myself snapping at just about everyone over just about anything.  I am trying VERY hard to just be quiet.  So, in the little chances that I get to accomplish sewing... I rejoice.  And, in the other moments where I am constant interrupted and distracted... I am also trying to rejoice!

Isa 49:13 ~ Shout for joy, O heavens! And rejoice, O earth! Break forth into joyful shouting, O mountains! For the LORD has comforted His people And will have compassion on His afflicted.

3/12 To-Do List

Here is this weeks list:

1. Taxes... ugh!  In process
2. Application process for GCDH
3. Kathy's 3 AIOs (due 3/13)  Shipped 3/13
4. Brooke's 1 Fitted and 5 AIOs (due 3/15)  In process.. slipping to 3/17
5. Sophie's 3 AIOs (due 3/16)   In process... slipping to 3/17
6. Work in Becki's Order
7. 3/7 Charity Raffle AIO ~ won by Heather (heatherfinlay)
8. Check with Kim (myltlbunch) about her custom order.
9. Update fabric options on the website.  In process
10. Work on my blog layout/design/options.
11. Complete Inventory... UGH! UGH! UGH!  In process

Trusting God

We are going to be putting our dream home on the market.  Nearly 4 years ago, we started building our dream home in Martinsburg, WV and started the process of selling our existing home in Manassas, VA.  Jason was working full-time in Frederick, MD and we needed to be closer to his office.  And, this was our chance to build our dream home and for me to be home full-time with our children.  A LOT has changed since that process began.

Right about the same time as we moved into our newly finished dream home, Jason took over Sunday morning worship leading out our church in Manassas.  We had Eliana 3 months after we moved in.  Jason's existing company outsourced their IT support to Perot and after a few hairy months, he was hired by Perot and transitioned into an entirely new position that allows him to work from home almost full-time.  Tabitha was born 7 months ago.  And our two oldest children moved out on their own.  A LOT has changed.

Now, Jason's position is still changing/evolving within Perot.  He is working more fully in the worship leading ministry and really needs to be closer to the church.  I miss my friends and church family.  And the distance is proving to be more difficult than we thought.  I can sew and run MudpieBabies from anywhere as long as we have enough space for my sewing room and an attached area the children can safely play while I sew.  We need something that also has an acceptable home office space for Jason (dedicated).

So, we are looking for a realtor and putting our home on the market in the next two months and trusting that God will meet (or exceed) our needs.  THEN, we will look for something back near Manassas.  In the meantime, I've got a LOT of decluttering to do and I still need to keep sewing these orders.  I'm excited, nervous... and praising God for His perfect timing.

Sick sick sick

Tabi has a nasty cold.  She can't lay down or she just can't breath.  So, she's been sleeping in her carseat (when she'll sleep) for the past two days now.  It's just awful when your little one feels so bad and can't sleep... and therefore you can't sleep.

I can only pray that the rest of us don't end up with whatever it is that she has.  But, I am expecting the worst.  This just means that I am not nearly as productive as I would like to (or need to) be right now.  I am praying that tomorrow is a better day and that I can get plenty accomplished.

I better take the chance to try to get some sleep while she's resting. I'm sure that it will be another long night.  Godspeed...

Change is in the air...

... there's just something about knowing that things are going to be changing that makes the air... electric.  It honestly doesn't matter whether the change is good or bad... the "hype" is still just as intense.

This is good change.  So, I'm going to face the challenges that lay ahead with praise and joy.

God's plans are SO much better than ours.  And, I am humbled that He still chooses to use me in any of them.