So Its Official

Well most of you already knew that the engagement of these two darlings was official, but just in case you didn't....NOW YOU DO! Sweet photos by my talented son (if I do say so myself )...smiles! Check out his work here!









This would be the ring that made it official! (this pic doesn't do it justice-Nate was just trying to get the heart shadow)
















The contracts have been signed and the check has been mailed so Ash & I can "officially" announce we have secured the most amazing and talented Wedding Planner in the South...Liz Demos! Liz has a shop in Savannah and her work has been featured in Country Living, Savannah Magazine, Better Homes and Gardens & others! We cannot wait to see what kind of magical evening she will create for Ash & Kirk at the beautiful Magnolia Plantation. Check out this image from a wedding she recently did!






You can see more @ Liz's Flickr site!








So far we have the location, THE dress, working on finalizing contract with the photographer, the wedding party, and now we have "the" wedding planner! We will be meeting her in Charleston in November for some details, tastings, etc. As soon as we have a story board, I am sure she will let us share it as well! It's a Vintage theme, of course, with some beautiful colors including Ash's favorite pink peonies.























Oh and by the way, we will be using these so cute sea-blue Ball Mason jars that I have already purchased. Please stay tuned for many more fun and exciting details!









PS Please keep Mr. R, his family, and especially his sweet Momma in your prayers! This link to an amazing song, which I hope you will listen to, is dedicated to her!! I love you CAN!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DTr8mB--sZw&feature=PlayList&p=1A2B1C84DAE6E2A0&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=32

Quickie Random Post

I am sitting in my office, supposed to be doing work for here, because I am SO behind since taking up blogging!...but you decide what is more fun! :) Luckily I cook dinner and care for the "boss" so he lets me work at my own pace. I also need to hurry because tonight is GREY's night!!! I am excited!

First item of business is to tell you about an awesome giveaway over @ Lola B's...that Kasey never ceases to amaze me...and I have said it before that you won't find a more genuine, generous, life-loving girlie!...who just happens to have amazing taste and a beautiful family and and and and.....this could take a while! Seriously...see cute pics of her in my earlier posts.

Second item on the agenda is I am supposed to be getting ready to go watch these sweet things run this weekend in Greensboro but instead I am "busy" blogging!

L is Nate and R is Chelsea

Third item is to show you what my handsome men were up to this weekend while Ash & I were at the Country Living Fair...they also lead such a rough life!!! :) Check out their weekend and some amazing photography here @ NCR Photography.

Gotta Run!! Until next time....

Blogger Award

So I received this from my sweet daughter, Ash today! Thanks, honey!

The Honest Scrap Award

The rules are listed below.
*Say thanks and give a link to the presenter of the award.
*Share "10 honest things" about myself.
*Present this award to 7 other people whose blogs I find brilliant in content and/or design, or those who have encouraged me.
*Tell those 7 people they've been awarded the HONEST SCRAP AWARD.

1) I am thankful that Jesus is my Savior, unworthy as I may be, and that my husband, daughter, and son know him personally as well!

2)I LOVE LOVE LOVE KIDS!..First of all my own! and particularly teenagers...I have always gotten along well with them and have surrogate parented many strays who still call me "Mom".

One of my best Mother's Days ever was when I came home from Church on a Mother's Day Sunday and sticking in my door was the sweetest card ever from one of my "adoptees", who was only about 16 or 17 at the time, and it read To My Other Mother...he is 24 now and still comes to see me when he is in town!

3)My calling is life is Oncology Nursing and Hospice. Although I am currently in Rehab Sales & Marketing I know what my true passion is. It is so heartbreaking to lose a patient, but there is no joy like when I recently saw a patient from about 10 yrs ago and she is healthy & thriving and because of her illness, her husband (they were only married 3 months when she was diagnosed) is now about to graduate nursing school!! I have also made some wonderful lifetime friends!

4)I am several pounds overweight and stress about it all the time! I am trying to learn to just enjoy being healthy and to be thankful for who God made me to be.

5)Sort of copying from my best friend and daughter, but I have been married to the love of my life for almost 24 years! I know that I need to be kinder and more appreciative, as he is one of the kindest, sweetest, hardworking men I know and I am very blessed!!!

6)Ugh...hate to admit it, but I am a nail biter...alway have been...always will be! Maybe this is why I lost my appendix in my very early twenties! Yuck!

7) I play the piano and sing but I am not good at all! Oh how I wish I was!

8) I love horses! I grew up riding them, gave lessons, etc. My dream life would be to own a horse farm with a bunch of delinquent teenagers, who no one else wanted, to help me there! :)

9) I have been through a lot of tragedy in my life, such as losing my only brother in a drowning accident when I was just 18 and he was 21, and losing my step dad(only dad, I knew...see below) to cancer while I was in Nursing school and several other things BUT I AM A SURVIVOR SO PLEASE DON'T FEEL SORRY FOR ME!... BECAUSE I HAVE AN AWESOME LIFE, AM SO BLESSED AND VERY THANKFUL!!!

10) Lastly, I am named after my father, Jerry, who was killed by a drunk driver while my Mom was still pregnant for me! I am very intolerant of drinking and driving!

and sorry I also have 11) Even though Ash's upcoming wedding is so very sad due to the illness of his mother...I am excited for them and can't wait to have a son-in-law and lots of little grand babies...second favorites to teenagers! :)

I present my 7 awards to the following:

Nate @ NCR Photography-my talented and sweet baby who made me an "empty nester" this year :(

The Macs-my first Blog that I followed and one of the most inspiring that I have ever read

Kasey-What can I say? How can you not just love this girl and her zest for life!!!and her family is just too darn adorable

Tara-so sweet and so honest!

Paige-what an awesome story and how lovely she and her family are!

Meg-one of the first few blogs I started to follow, very creative and inspiring!

Jeanne-how incredibly talented is this cute, engergetic, homeschooling Mom!

And sorry I can't just stop @ 7!...(I also have a thing with rules!!)

Tracey-my newest Blog friend!

Jen-what can you say about such a beautiful and talented mother of 9!

Lissa-very beautiful and honestly inspiring!

Uninspired

On the L is Tracey and on the right is Kara looking very lovely!

Top is my sweet Ash after a long day & night of Friends & Fun at the Country Living Fair!

Bottom...clockwise R to L-Kasey in her adorable $$ Anthro shoes (notice both of her feet made the pic)...Ash in her $$ VS boots, Tracey in her lovely $$ Anthro shoes and me in my...mmm...ShoeShow bargain kicks :)

I have been wanting to post some pics from the Country Living Fair, albeit the few that I have, since my memory card was full and Ash forgot her camera...but we have been sailing in rough waters since we arrived safely back at home. We received heartbreaking news when my friend and Ash's m-i-l to be was sent home with Hospice today. Although we knew it was a possibility, there are no words to describe the hurt and the pain especially for her husband and children. Please pray for their peace in the midst of this terrible storm and that Ash & Mr. R can still find the joy in their upcoming wedding...so sorry that I am the UNINSPIRED downer at the moment, but I find comfort in knowing that I can share with you and that you understand!

It didn't help the Bridesmaid dresses arrived today and were supposed to be a lovely Rosette color...but are instead, indeed, a very Barney purple. Luckily even though they were supposed to be non-returnable, Ann Taylor was very gracious and is allowing us to send them back. Yay for great customer service!!!

Kasey and sweet McKell...Darcy, from McMaster & Storm's daughter, in their "tooth fairy" skirts purchased at the Country Living Fair from The Vintage Barn.

That's All!

I Will Sing

Lord You seem so far away
A million miles or more it feels today
And though I haven’t lost my faith
I must confess right now
That it’s hard for me to pray
But I don’t know what to say
And I don’t know where to start
But as You give the grace
With all that’s in my heart
I will sing
I will praise
Even in my darkest hour
Through the sorrow and the pain
I will sing
I will praise
Lift my hands to honor You
Because Your Word is true
I will sing
Lord it’s hard for me to see
All the thoughts and plans You have for me
But I will put my trust in You
Knowing that You died to set me free
But I don’t know what to say
And I don’t know where to start
But as You give the grace
With all that’s in my heart
I will sing
I will praise
Even in my darkest hour
Through the sorrow and the pain
I will sing
I will praise
Lift my hands to honor You
Because Your Word is true
I will sing
Don Moen


I could hardly make it through this song at church this morning for a couple of reasons:
(1) My heart is overflowing with thankfulness for all the blessings that I am allowed to enjoy...such as time spent with my family, the beautiful weather, and health...just to name a few.
(2) My heart is very heavy with the burden I carry for my friend who is sick, and I want her to be able to know that as the song says, BECAUSE YOUR WORD IS TRUE, that she can still sing, knowing with peaceful assurance that she will be made whole again!..maybe not how, or when, or where we want, but He does a plan for her life!

Sometimes we think we have it so bad for whatever reasons, but if we will just invest our time and energy into someone else who is struggling, our own problems seem to fade and our lives are so much richer!

Go out and SING this week my friends!

In the Beginning

In the beginning when God created the Heaven and Earth it was a shapeless, chaotic mass...which is where my attempt at blogging begins. It took me some time to decide on a name that wasn't already being used so FINDING THEIR WINGS will be my attempt to fill up some of the time and space in my heart and home now that I am an "empty nester"... and learn to let go...trusting God and his love and guidance to help my precious children make their own way in the world! It might even be a bit fun and exciting as I help to plan the late Spring wedding of my one and only daughter!
In the beginning my daughter and best friend, EmersynLane, introduced me to a couple of new worlds...blogging and Etsy which we both fell in love with immediately! I must tell you that the first blog I followed was The Macs and the story of sweet Cora which led me to find many other blogs that I enjoy.
After attending last years Country Living Fair we discovered Lola B's and were recently afforded the pleasure of meeting the sweet and generous Kasey and some of her friends in person! When I told my friends & family here at home that we were traveling many miles/hours to meet one of our "blog friends" I got some interesting comments such as "what if she is a ___________?"...you fill in the blank. (smiles) Not to my surprise she was just as lovely as I had thought!!..and I can't wait to meet up with her and the gals again soon at this years CL Fair!
I have found many friends here in "Blogland" that cause me to feel happy, inspired, sad, empathetic, etc. I hope that my musings on here will also cause someone to smile or say... AH HA!...I am not the only one!...or to possibly spare or share someone else's hurt or pain!
I am just learning how to blog so please be patient with me as I try to link, post photos, etc.... feel free to share the "easy" way to do something (such as creating a hyperlink) which I am not sure I have done sucessfully tonight, or to let me know if I have done something I should not!
Lastly for those of you who pray and believe I covet your prayers for my friend and daughter's future MIL as she fights a VALIANT war against yet another return of the ugly monster, breast cancer! Stay tuned....here we go!