More purses!

Visit with Tristan

Mom and I got to visit Tristan while I was in town and I cant believe how BIG he has gotten. He is definitely not a newborn anymore but instead almost 3 months old! We had a great time watching all of his new expressions and especially his big smiles!!

i could have sat there FOREVER!

flying with uncle Phil

special message Tristan gave JR b/c he was missing :)

look i can smile now!

my serious face

Wonderful moments in life...

My brother has one of the biggest hearts out of anyone that I know. He has been the co-op leader for GE this semester in Georgia and today was the day his fellow co-ops went home. I love that he is at the point where he can reflect on God's goodness in his life and realize how far he has came in the last several years. I couldnt be more proud.

Here is the email that he sent my dad and I:
You know...I was thinking today, while we had our "going away" ceremony for the coops, how far that I have came in life. It was at this moment that I realized how privileged that I am to have such a great family. Every single coop that walked across the stage to say goodbye, the first and last thing that came out of their mouths was how great of a leader and person that I am. How when everything was going wrong...I was there with a smiling face for reassurance. How that everything that came out of my mouth was trusted to the fullest extent, and was never questioned. I know that throughout my life I have not been or acted what was asked of me, but for the first time I know what I want to do with my life (a smiling face that leads people through some of the most interesting times of their lives), and I have you guys (family) to thank for that.

Dad, you have taught me that there is never a point in life that being too serious cannot be useful...and then bring a smile a split second later to those that you are leading. Coming out of high school, I had no clue what I wanted to do with my life...but I trusted a great man's opinion and ran with it. A few hurdles have came along the way...even walls, but I have came to the realization that walls are only there to stop the people that don't want it bad enough. PERSEVERANCE is the key to life, because life doesn't go as planned, but if you give up then you are no better than a person that has nothing. I appreciate you being patient with me.

Sis...I don't even know where to begin. You have no idea how much you have helped me throughout my life. I have admired everything about you since day one...especially how through everything your faith does not waiver, it does not fold...it only builds momentum. Since we were kids you taught me how to be tough. Whether it was a physical tough by picking, pulling, or pinching me (lol), or the mental toughness that you have had through the years.

How when the omnipresent "worse case scenario" in my mind comes out...you can always find the happiness and joy in any situation and keep me calm and collected enough to stumble to my feet.

I have always looked up to you in the most extraordinary ways...and that will never stop, because you never fail to amaze me. And I appreciate it more than you know...even if I don't show it sometimes.

Today was one of the few proud moments that I have had in my life thus far, and I just wanted to take some time out of my day to tell you guys that I couldn't have done it without either one of you...LOVE YOU GUYS.

I am crying now as I read it once more, and just thank God for His many blessings on my family. Some might say that they hate getting old, but I will say instead that I love each year that passes as it brings me one more year of experiences and moments such as this. I do love my brother dearly... and there is nothing that could make a sister anymore happier than knowing her bro is growing up.

Only God...

Only God can explain how my friend Dan survived. Dan is Katie Lander's husband's old roommate that I met while visiting them in Pittsburg, PA 2 years ago. It is truly a miracle that he made it out alive. Here is what the news said:

At about 6:45 p.m. Friday, Amtrak train No. 305 southbound to St. Louis from Chicago struck a vehicle that pulled into its path about 21 miles south of Joliet, according to Amtrak spokesman Marc Magliari.

None of the train's passengers or crew were injured, Magliari said.

Even though the car was totaled, the driver was alert and talking when emergency crews arrived, NBC 5 reported.

If you look closely in that picture it seems that there was just protection around the driver's seat. No doubt that was God's hand. I am SO thankful he is okay. Please join me in praying for Dan's recovery as he had several internal breaks and such. He is recovering at his home now in Virginia.

Goodbye blonde!

This is the hair I have known and loved for more than half my life now. This is also the hair that all of you have seen me in for as long as you have known me, since I started dying it back when I was 12!!! Well last night I was doing my regular routine of highlighting my roots and my worst nightmare happened. Evidently I picked up the wrong box (you would think it was my first time but I have done it myself at least 10 since moving here) of color. This is the product of what happened......

ORANGEY YELLOWEY BRASSY AWFUL!!!
This was the picture that popped into my head... I LOOK LIKE CARROT TOP!!!!

I went into extreme freak out mode for sure. Called everyone I knew that knew something about hair to see what to do. Finally my mom answered (who is the one who has been highlighting it since 6th grade) and she said to put more blonde in it.... i dont think she knew how bad it really was ha!

This is what it looked like after 2 trys of blonde. Brassy orange yet almost platinum white. What do I do what do I do? Still freaking out of course but also somehow laughing. JR proceeded to say I looked like Gwen Stefani.... and then he would follow that with GO BIG ORANGE.... haha so funny he is I tell ya!
Here I am this morning realizing that I was about to go in to let the professionals take a try at it. Somewhat prepared that I may come out totally brown, but still in the back of my head thinking they can fix it. I went in at 9:30am and the stylist had this wonderful look on her face when she saw it.. so comforting I though ;) Anyways after stripping it, putting color pigment back into it and then putting on brown and 4 hours later.... Here I am:
The black shirt definitely does not help.. but YES I AM DARK BROWN!! This is my natural color believe it or not... Totally weird huh? NO I do not like it, but yes I am very happy that it is no longer orange and that it didnt turn green or purple in the dying back process (these were all options I had in the past 12 hours). I really cant believe that I still have not busted into tears at this point. I mean come on.. THIS IS DRASTIC CHANGE! and i dont like change ha!
I am STILL at this moment in so much shock and keep laughing as everyone walks by my office and does a double take. One of my good friends even stopped at the front desk to ask where I was, after she plainly saw me but didnt think it was me. Another student asked if I was the Blonde Lindsey's twin sister ha! Yes I am definitely getting A LOT of "Oh my gosh" and "Wow!" today... and still myself saying the same thing every time I see myself in the mirror.
Eventually this is the look I want to go for. I do want to not be AS blonde as I was before now.. it was a bit much. This was the summer of 05 when I had put low lights in it. I think I can deal with that :) Thank goodness I am going home this weekend and my mom can do her magic!!!!

And to think that just last week I was really contemplating on going back natural (with the help of some of my work friends who have been urging me to do so). Hm.. funny how things work?




And just for the record, I really cant believe I just shared these pictures with the whole world! Welcome to my life.. its just Lindsey :)

Movies and Sewing

I am so lucky to have a set up in my "craft room" where I can watch movies while I sew (aka listen to them in the background really ha or sneak a peak while the machine is doing the monogramming). This is pretty much how my entire weekend went: pop in a movie, sew, eat, watch another movie, sew some more, and eat, catch Baby Mama with some friends, etc, etc, etc.

Here are the movies I watched (all good but Baby Mama was especially funny).

And here are the crafting creations I did:

Ashley's new purse (one like it for her mom but forgot to take the pic too ha)

Christina's purses for her mom and mother-in-law for mother's day

baby shower gifts for JR's cousin Chelsey and her soon to be baby girl Navaeh

baby boy goodies for Brandi's girlfriends showers

and i think this one I think is my favorite... Brylee is Brandi's little girl and so therefore she had me make this for her friends little boy since obviously Brylee will be his girlfriend :)


All other orders can expect to be done this week. I am 1/2 done with a lot of them so it may even be tomorrow!!!

Pregnancy Support Services Walk

Saturday morning I joined Jordan and a team of girls from the seminary to help raise support for our local pregnancy support clinic. It was another beautiful day and there were so many people from our community that came out! They raised over $40,000 so that is amazing :) Jordan volunteers there and it is an incredible ministry to the pregnant women in our area.

Spring time picnic

Kelsey took me on a wonderful date for lunch Friday... on a picnic outside! the weather was amazing and in the 80's and she supplied a wonderful meal too :)

cute picnic basket she brought with EVERYTHING including a pitcher of sweet tea!

us being dorks and taking pictures


Thank you Kelsey for an amazing date! I love you girl!!!

Can you believe it?

We are having more puppies!!! We were sure that Maddie didnt get pregnant this time but it was almost like overnight she grew so much that there is no doubt now... babies are coming in MAY!!! We are thinking they will be here in the next 3 weeks so if you or anyone else you know wants one please let us know :) Here is our blog for them: http://10labs.blogspot.com/

More cricut and Philippines Update

Maisy is having her first ballet recital tonight so I made her this card to celebrate :)

Here are many different ways to use the Cricut for thank you's. I have been sending out many of them to all of my wonderful supporters of my Philippines trip. I have raised $310 so far!! Thank you guys so much for your prayers and continued support. Cathy went to get her passport and I am in the process of getting my name changed on mine.. so we are getting closer and closer :)