Party With The Girls

I know from my lack of blogging lately it may seem that I have had nothing really going on. I think the exact opposite is true. I have had a TON going on, and because of that, I have not had much time to blog lately.

Last Sunday, after a long drive home from Summer Fest, Foster and I woke up early and started getting ready for my Thirty-One party. I was ecstatic to host a party for my dear friend Amy. I had promised to over a year ago, but we had both been busy and our schedules never seemed to mesh. Back then she had volunteered that if I threw a party, she would donate some of her commission to Roses from Rosalynn. You cannot even begin to imagine how much this meant to me! She has followed my story and has been such a source of support over the past year, and to have her offer that meant the world to me.

We had about 7 women attend, including three girls I went to middle school and high school with. All four of us are pregnant, due within 2-3 weeks of each other! Amy is also pregnant, and she is about 8 weeks behind me! There were a total of 6 pregnant women at the party!! Crazy huh? I think this actually helped with the sales, because Thirty-One has some amazing kid/baby items to purchase. Although I am hesitant to buy anything, I just couldn't help purchasing these adorable bloomers with "Avaleen Rose" stitched on the bottom!!

It was so amazing that how a few of us had not seen each other in years, but yet it felt like no time had passed at all. It felt like old times, and that we were all just as close as we had once been! I am hoping that we are all able to start getting together more often, especially since all of our babies are due so close together!

I wish I had taken pictures, I am not quite sure why I didn't. I was probably just too worried about all the food and stuff that I forgot about my camera. I made 2 homemade bruchetta. The first had fresh mozzarella, bruchetta mix and drizzled with balsamic glaze, the second was brie with pesto cold pesto sauce and a walnut to top it off. I had mini egg rolls, lots of cookies, and "spa water". "Spa water" is the water that they serve at spas that have the fruit in it, infusing the water with just a hint of flavor. I put watermelon, strawberries, and oranges in the water...it was AWESOME!! I really wish I had taken pictures!

Overall, with the party and online purchases, I believe we had around $600 worth of purchases (I am figuring that out by the amount of free stuff I received as a hostess). Everyone was so generous! The only thing I would do differently is post on here and facebook a little earlier, b/c there were so many people who wanted to make purchases, but didn't get paid till the day after we closed the party. If I had given more of a heads up, maybe they would have purchased with the previous paycheck. Oh, and take photos!!

Thank you to all who attended and supported me AND Amy! I cannot begin to express my appreciation to what your generosity will do for the families who benefit from Roses from Rosalynn.

Fourth of July

Although missing Rosalynn is something that I do just every day, it's times like this weekend that make me miss her even more.

My parents always have some sort of Fourth of July celebration out at the farm. Foster and I always try to make it out, and usually succeed. This year we decided to head out the day before because he wanted to get some groundhog hunting in, zero out his new gun and scope, and I just wanted to relax.

Sunday was the big party. We had family and friends from all over show up, including my cousin with her beautiful two week old baby girl. Although the newborn made me excited for Avaleen to arrive, I mostly felt the sting of pain for the loss of Rosalynn. there is just something about little babies that make me miss her. Although she would be 15 months now, I will always picture her as a 5lb12oz baby girl, not a 15 month old, because that is the only way I ever saw her. I imagine what she may look like and be like at 15 months, but I only KNOW her as a newborn.

I started thinking about how this past 15 months of holidays have been missing someone, and then I realized that is how it will be from now on. No matter how many years pass, and no matter how many more children I have, there will always be someone missing. Presents missing from under the tree, one stocking missing from the mantle, one less hot dog eaten, one less pumkin carved, one less costume made/bought, one less Easter basket filled. It hurts my heart that for the next 40+ years, I will always have that feeling of incompleteness on the holidays.

Don't get me wrong, we had a lot of fun. The smell of slightly burnt hot dogs and juicy hamburgers filled the air while my cousins and uncles played games of cornhole. We had the horses out for the kids, and the sounds of James Taylor, Fleetwood Mac, Simon and Garfunkle, and other classics played in the background while conversations of family, college, vacations, and summer fun could be heard. There were so many people there, more people than I think even my mom expected, but there was just one little 15 month old missing. She should have been riding on the back of my horse with Foster, trying the many different foods available, and toddling after the four sheltie dogs that were running around, trying to avoid having her cookie stolen by one of them. She would have been donning her Red White and Blue summer dress, and IF she had any hair (I was bald till I was 2) I would have put it up in pigtails with a red and blue ribbon in each. She would have gotten to meet her 3rd cousin Caroline who is 2 and a half, and CC (the newborn) to see what her baby sister, Ava would be like in about 18 weeks. Then she would have clapped her little hands as her daddy set off all the pretty fireworks. And maybe, just maybe Foster would have been a little more cautious in setting the fireworks off since his daughter would be sitting in the crowd.

That's right, Foster ALMOST killed us AGAIN with fireworks! (Just read THIS post to get an idea of how we should have learned our lesson by now...Rule #5) He lit one in his hand and as he went to throw it in the air, the stick part apparently broke and the firework part came flying our way instead of out towards the field! Scared the living day lights out of us!

Overall it was a great weekend that I got to spend with the people that I care about most in my life, except poor Bug, she had to work. As we started setting off our fireworks for the closing of the party, I noticed there was some lightning high in the clouds to our west, and couldn't help but smile and think how Rosie must take afrter her dad, and was partaking in a little firework show of her own!  She may not have been with us there in person, but I definitely felt her all around us!

Cameras, Articles, and Parties Oh My!!

As I mentioned in my last post, ALOT has been going on!!! I am glad to say I officially have my new camera, a Cannon EOS 50D. It is amazing, and I am getting a lesson this evening from our wedding photographer!! I have already captured some amazing pictures. this one was taken while driving 65 miles per hour, my regular camera would have produced a blur!

This one is a rare picture of Reagan. She looks so thoughtful, and I love the way the sun is hitting her!

Add caption

Rowdy is a HAM for the camera. He gets sooooooo excited every time I take it out. He is always ready for his closeup!

In other news, I contacted Military Spouse Magazine to see if they would be interested in the article that will be in the National Guard Magazine. One of the writers contacted me, we started talking, and instead she wants to do a feature on me in the March issue. It is a spouse profile focusing on family. When she read about my loss, she said it would be perfect. I don't know if I completely agree that it is perfect for the "family" issue, but I am honored that she wants to interview me, and will be a great opportunity to raise awareness of pregnancy and infant loss, and plug "Roses from Rosalynn and Project Sweet Pea". As far as my article, I guess I need to submit it to the main editor.

This past weekend, I had the opportunity to hang out with an old friend and fellow military wife. I had not seen her in 12 years since we graduated from high school. I am ashamed to say that, because she is such an amazing, inspirational, and talented woman. We reconnected through facebook and through our blogs. She writes a fun blog entitled "Scrapping the Story and Feeding the Soul" (click on it and pay her a visit).   It is a creativity filled blog about food, scrap booking, and raising her two beautiful children all while supporting her Air Force husband. I am sad we have lost so much time, but am glad we are reconnecting. Foster was reffing a rugby game near her husband's base, and she just happened to have a 31 purse party scheduled for that afternoon, perfect timing!  I jumped at the chance to hang out with her, and meet more military wives. I had never heard of 31 handbags. The premise of this organization is based off of Proverbs 31:17-18 "She sets about her work vigorously; her arms are strong for her tasks. She sees that her trading is profitable, and her lamp does not go out at night." The company was started by a working mom who wanted to help provide for her family but not spend time away from them. Being a stay at home mom, Amy wanted to be able to help provide a little extra income for her family. She loves 31 Gifts because it is faith based, and Amy and her family are very strong in their faith.

When I got to her house, my nose was filled with the aromas of fresh baked goods and pumpkin lattes.

I watched and played with all of the goodies as she set them up on her mantel and table. Thirty-one has some beautiful baskets and liners, fun handbags, and even warm winter accesories like scarves and mittens. Of course I have a few pictures, but you can check out the whole catalog on Amy's Thirty-one Gifts page here or here.  She has been kind enough to offer a proceeds of her profit from a party to go towards my Roses from Rosalyn and Projects Sweet Peas. I will definitely take her up on the offer as soon as school slows down a bit, so I will be sure to let you all know when I will be hosting a party and hopefully makeing some amazing dishes like Amy did for her last party.