Jen and Carrie's Excellent Adventure

Have I mentioned that 2 weeks from tomorrow I am going on a trip with one of my best buddies? Oh yes. We are loading ourselves in the car with no children or hubbies and we are heading out to the Country Living Fair. Thelma and Louise style. Minus Brad Pitt. I think. This will be the first time I've ever gone away overnight without my family. See? This little butterfly is spreading her wings. This is a trial run for November when I go to Silver Bella. When I say trial run, I mean they will get a little taste of what it's like to be without Mommy and if they can't handle it, well then, too bad. Cuz I'm goin to Silver Bella. No. Matter. What.

I hope you will join me & Carrie in our adventure. Ms. Serena from the Farm Chicks promises me that the set up will be much better this year, than it was last year. Amen for that. I hope y'all will brave the crowds and meet us there.

Change is in the Air

On a cool morning like this, with soft breezes blowing through the house, I can smell fall in the air. Every day there are small changes that are leading up to big changes. I feel this same shift taking place inside of me, as acutely as I feel it in the air. I'm becoming a different person, an improved version of myself, I hope. I'm getting braver and stronger, grasping new opportunities and embracing the idea that dreams don't always have to stay dreams. I'm making an effort to really be present in every moment & taking the time to appreciate the simple things that give me pleasure & learning that sometimes looking for the pleasure in everyday tasks, makes them more enjoyable.

-We should all do what, in the long run, gives us joy, even if it is only picking grapes or sorting the laundry. E. B. White

Everything Old is New Again

Cute but nothing special, this estate sale find (seen below in it's orginal state) was perfect for personalizing. All it took was a vintage style map of Paris, some cutting, some glue and a half hour out of my day. Now Miss Emma has the perfect place to keep some of her most prized treasures. I love this project so much that I am considering it on a much larger scale on another piece of furniture. Stay tuned.

Little Things

When you are a treasure hunter like me, it's amazing how one little find can completely make your day. I called up my good friend Cammy yesterday and asked her if she wanted to hit the sales with me this morning. Sadly, she thought it was too inconvenient to come all the way from Maryland to Indiana for the day. Whatever. I'm thinking it was probably for the best since I managed to buy these without having to fight her for them. I'm already scheming about how to use them. I'll give you a hint. It starts with Silver and ends with Bella.

He Loves Me, He Loves Me More

When you were a little girl, did you ever destroy a flower by playing the he loves me, he loves me not game? Well, if there is one thing I know for sure, it is that my Sweet Hubby loves me. The thing is, apparently there are times when I'm more lovable than others. Now, I know this probably surprises you all because, seriously, I'm so charming that I must be 100% lovable all of the time. Right? Well, here's the thing, when the weather starts to turn and there is a hint of autumn in the air, my man totally.loves.me.more. He can't get enough of me, he laughs at all of my jokes, he can't walk by me without copping a feel, he wants to snuggle with me constantly. When it's hot out it's all I can do to get him to pause ESPN long enough to hear me say that dinner is ready. Well, I exaggerate. Kind of. So you can imagine my excitement that we have enjoyed high temps in the 70's for the last 4 days, especially since it was just in time for the girls to start school yesterday. Cue the gratuitous 1st day of school pics of the kiddos.

I swear to you that all of the pictures I have of Maddie in the last 2 years are blurry. She cannot sit still long enough to let me take a decent picture. It's like I'm actually torturing her. The only way I ever see a good pic of her is to look at her facebook account. Apparently she has no such problems posing for those pictures.

Nancy Drew is that you? Emma did slightly better before she darted off ready for her 1st day of school.

See you later mom, I'm outta here! But wait kiddo I'm not ready for you girls to leave me yet. It was the best summer ever and I'm not even tired of you yet. Can't we wait to start school when I'm ready?

I know girl, I miss them too.

An Updated Update!

Thank you all so much for your prayers and support while we have been going through this drama! It has meant more to me than you could possibly know. Thank you too for your comforting comments and emails.

I had a great doctor's visit today. They did all the tests and sonogram of my heart and the doctor said that I don't have any effects from the medication that I took, there is no thickening of my heart, the leakage from my valves is minimal and less than someone 1/2 my age might have. My heart responds just the way it should to stress and that I have a normal, healthy heart and the doctor even gave me his personal guarantee on that! He my heart is so healthy that if he needed a heart, he'd happily take mine. They have me hooked up to a holter monitor for the next 7 days to record any chest pains or palpitations that I have and we go back to discuss those findings on Aug 21st. I am greatly relieved and just ready to relax and not think about it anymore.

My next post will have absolutely nothing to do with my health. I promise. I'm ready to get back to living life. I have just 4 more days with the girls before schools starts so I probably won't be posting again before that. I'm looking forward to having some time next week to catch up with all of you and to think about something other than myself!

In other news I want to thank The Closet Therapist for giving me a Premio award. I would also like to thank Ruthann at Warm Pie, Happy Home for also awarding me the Premio, as well as 2 other awards! You ladies are so nice to think of me and I'm just sorry I haven't acknowledged them earlier. I am just terrible at the whole award thing which is why I'm not passing them on! I adore you all and I hope you know it!

An Update

Hello all of you wonderful friends. Thank you all for your prayers, well wishes and very loving and encouraging words. My visit with the cardiologist went pretty well today. He is a wonderful doctor and I feel like I am in the best of hands. He was very comforting and at least seemed not to think that whatever is going on with me is worst case scenario. There are tests scheduled for Thursday am and we should know a lot more then. I know that if he was really concerned he would have made sure I had the tests today. He seemed to think that since 10 or 11 years had passed since I took the medication & the fact that I treadmill 3-4 hours a week were things that were on my side. I would love to hear more from those of you with friends & loved ones that have been through something similar after taking phen fen. I will keep you all updated and hope that you will continue to keep me in your prayers. Your words were truly a blessing to me today and helped keep me calm. Love, Jen

Got Prayer?

No pictures today. No carefree postings. I'm shaking as I type this. I come to you today more scared than I've ever been in my life, asking you to pray for me and my family. About 10 or 11 years ago I took the diet drug known as phen fen. I have apparently suffered some damage to my heart from it. I have a doctor's appointment today at 2:40 to find out what this is going to mean to us. I humbly ask you to send your prayers, good vibes and well wishes my way. I'm trying to hold it together here and not doing a good job at all. I could use the strength of everyone I know right now. Love, Jen