It's ladies night...Pinterest style!

Some good friends and I had a girls' night last Friday night...Pinterest style! It was so much fun!

Our friend, Rebekah, shared with us that back home in Georgia where she is from some girls put a different twist on your average girls' night, instead of dinner and dessert, they all get together and work on a Pinterest craft! Sounds fun, doesn't it!?  IT WAS!  I always am pinning stuff on my Pinterest boards, as does everyone else, but I don't really get the time to complete a lot of the crafts and DIY projects I'd like to.  So, last Friday night we all chose a craft from Pinterest and got together with a couple pizzas, laughs, and fun - and made it! 

Here are some pics from that night.  If you are looking for a fun twist on a girls' night...get some friends together and do a Pinterest night!  It really is so much fun! 

I loved my wreath so much (and enjoyed making it so much) I've now decided to go into business selling them!  They're SUPER cute and I'm hoping to be able to make a version of it for every holiday and season :)

Our pocket change is someone's miracle...

I really honestly don't even know how to start this blog post.  My heart has been so heavy for what I'm about to share since I stumbled across it on Facebook a little while back, and then again a few days ago, and at that point I knew it wasn't an accident I had come across it again.  I knew I had to do something!  So, I've partnered with Krista Parada, Shirley Clark, and Lisa Fife in trying to rally supplies, financial donations, etc. in helping these children in Haiti.  Living in such a wealthy country we so quickly forget how LITTLE people in other countries have and how many things we take for granted that are such precious commodities in these third world countries.  Seeing the pictures and hearing the stories of these children in Haiti has absolutely just broken my heart, so I'd like to share with you a little bit about the needs there in hopes we could all help in some way, and together make a great difference in the lives of these sweet children.

Krista is actually in Haiti right now and will be for at least 1 year.  She has seen and is seeing firsthand the great need in that country.  She is in Jeremie, Haiti, with a Christian discipleship school called IMPACT195.  You can visit their website here to read more about them!  In a nutshell, the school is designed to equip Christians to live a life of impact for Christ in all 195 nations of the world!  There are 6 people living in Jeremie, Haiti, right now with the team team Krista is on and their main ministry is with the hospital, children, building water wells, teaching English, and conducting weekly Bible studies.  Each missionary on this team raises their own support as well as their own project money.

So, here's how YOU can help!  Krista has given us a list of some things that are currently of greatest need.  Because of the high cost of formula many mothers in this country are having to feed their young babies powdered milk (if you are a mom, you know how nutritionally deficient this is to a young baby) because they simply cannot afford formula and because of this babies are dying from starvation.  Another huge need is Infant Tylenol for fevers.  Many children and babies are dying from high fevers because they just do not have the means of treating fevers!  Another need is infant/toddler girls dresses and clothes (they recently received many boys clothes and are ok in that area right now), but infant/toddler girls dresses and clothes are needed.  This one really got me (they all did, but I couldn't believe this!)...for $25 US, you can get a child everything they need (medicine and help) to get well and out of the hospital.  Most children just need proper nutrition.  A good group of the children that come in to the hospital come in with malaria which Krista said is easy to treat, if you can afford the medicine and in a country such as this, the majority cannot afford the treatment.

There is no postal system there, so the only way to get things to them is to send them with someone going over there.  Krista has a friend going there mid-April, so we are trying to gather everything we can prior to then to package up and send there.  It costs $2 PER pound to take things into the country, so we also need donations to help cover the cost of getting it in the country to these children.

SO, to sum it all up - the greatest needs are: formula (if you have unopened cans you'd like to donate we will take those), but the team can actually purchase large cans of formula there for $25 US which is around the same cost as America.  So, if you'd like to donate towards that, the monetary gift for formula would be so helpful (unless you have some already!) which would eliminate having to pay to get it into the country (but whatever you can give would be AWESOME!)  Also, the infant/toddler girls dresses and clothes, Infant Tylenol, and $25 US to sponsor a child for complete medical treatment.  

The need is so great and we in America have been SO blessed.  I know personally God has blessed my family so much, I don't think there has ever been a time in my life I have been without a meal.  I simply cannot imagine not having food, medical treatment, etc., but to see my own child suffer and possibly die of starvation or sickness because I simply do not have the means or funds to take care of them, is an absolutely heartbreaking thought.  If we all rally together, we can really make a difference in the lives of these children.  I've posted a few pictures Krista has taken of the children in Haiti.  In America, our pocket change truly is someone's miracle in another country such as this.

Please, please pray about it and consider giving!  Whether large or small, anything we can gather to give to make a difference is a difference made!  Feel free to spread the word as well!  Shirley Clark, Lisa Fife, and myself will be collecting these things up until sometime in early April to package to get over to these children.  Thanks in advance for your help and support!

This sweet little two month-old girl is in the hospital suffering from malnutrition.  She is so small she literally bruises when she rolls over.

This is the hand of a TINY little twin 2 month-old baby who is in the hospital suffering from malnutrition as well.

Catching up!

I'm a little behind on posting on here; its been a whole week!  It seriously doesn't feel a week has flown by already, but with all the busyness and things going on in our life right now, time is flying so quick!

The weather has stayed so nice here in Virginia; I guess we can say spring summer is OFFICIALLY here.  No, but really, today was like mid-80s and it's what? mid-March; we are in for a HOT summer.  Brayden and I have spent probably a couple hours outside every day.  I've been trying to walk at least a couple miles every day and it's so funny, I can never pass the playground without Brayden seeing it and trying to do whatever he can to wiggle himself out the stroller :) They learn quick!  

Aside from entertaining my toddler and spending LOTS of time in the great outdoors, Josh & I hit the ground running every day with all that's left to be done for Vertical Church.  Our launch service is coming up in 6 weeks (UNREAL!) and we couldn't be more excited (and honestly a little stressed); there's so much to do!  But, God is definitely working and already showing himself through this ministry. He has brought so many awesome people into our lives already (and the church services haven't even started yet!), I really can't wait to see what he is going to do come May 6th :)  We have had so many great pastors in this area and some further away show their love, support, advice, and encouragement and that means SO much to us.  It's a great feeling to know you're doing what you're supposed to be doing, when your'e supposed to be doing it :)  This has been said so many times, so why not say it again :) - if you don't have a home church, COME come check us out MAY 6TH!  I can promise you, you won't be disappointed.

Well, that is a little update on what's going on in the life of the Price's :)

Spring has SpRuNg!

Spring has SpRuNg...a little early this year, but I'm not complainin', although I may be come summer when it's like 100+ degrees & ridiculously humid...this mild winter is just an indicator of the summer we have ahead of us, I'm sure! But, we are definitely taking FULL advantage of the beautiful weather.  Brayden & I have spent so much time outside this week...so much time that I'm afraid he's fighting some allergies :( (Poor guy!)  He is definitely ALL boy...he loves romping around on the ground and getting dirty and his favorite is picking up every stick he can find :) 15 months is such a fun age!

Here in Virginia the temps have ranged this week from like mid 70's on up to today being the warmest, almost 90 degrees and from what I can tell it looks like next week is shaping up to be the same. 

This week and the beautiful weather has shown a new light on being a stay-at-home mom.  Several times this week as we've been outside playing, throwing a ball, sliding at the playground, playing in the dirt :), or taking a walk the thought has hit me...I feel SO lucky and blessed to be able to soak up the rays and enjoy all these little moments with my sweet boy.  I have been especially worn out at the end of the day everyday this week after chasing Brayden all around outside and everywhere else, but I wouldn't change one thing about it!

Here's just a few pictures of our fun so far this week :)

Mama's Boy

Brayden is definitely a mama's boy through and through.  He acts like his daddy most of the time (I wouldn't trade his personality for the world!), but definitely has a deep love for his mama :) I think this is probably the case for most little boys.  There really is nothing in all the world like the love a little boy has for his mama.  Sometimes throughout the day Brayden will come running to his mama with arms outstretched to be picked up, maybe for comfort or because he's hurt or maybe just because he wants to love on his mama.  Brayden always expects that I will be there to rescue him or pick him up.  I don't think he comes running thinking "I wonder if she'll really pick me up and love on me this time."  That's the innocence of a child.  He also knows, in his innocence, because of the love I have and have shown for my little boy that he can run to his mama and get some snuggles or comfort when he's hurt :)

This morning as we got up and started our day like we always do, Brayden was playing and came running to mama with arms outstretched like he does sometimes.  He wasn't upset or hurt, but just wanted to love on me and wanted to feel the comfort of his mama for a minute.  A couple minutes later he was ready to run off and play again.

The thought hit me this morning when Brayden did that, Jesus is our Heavenly Father and loves us just like Earthly parents love their children. We can run to Him with arms outstretched and EXPECT He will be there to pick us up, love on us just because, or comfort us when we're hurt, because He will.  His love for us is so deeper than we could ever imagine.  He desires us to run to Him with our arms outstretched, like Brayden.  

So, remember, we have a Heavenly Father, Jesus, who loves us SO much.  We can go to Him anytime with arms outstretched and He'll always be there!  

"Your love, O Lord, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies.  How priceless is your unfailing love! Both high and low among men find refuge in the shadow of your wings." (Psalm 36:5,7)

We all have a purpose...

It's funny how in life we always hear "God has a plan for your life" and "God has a purpose for your life," and while we truly do believe that, until we see it come to pass or understand what exactly our calling and purpose is...we try and figure it out on our own and take matters into our own hands :) And all the while we get so frustrated when the plans or our "man-made purpose" for our own life doesn't work out.  Some people are on the other end of the spectrum and feel like they have no purpose at all in life (which isn't true...we ALL have a purpose).

Ever since Josh & I said "yes" to the call to plant Vertical Church, I can look back in hindsight over my life and really see times when I tried to create my own purpose or fufill what I thought was my purpose. I can also see certain circumstances, situations, and even trials that were part of the puzzle that God is now putting together in my life (not at all saying I've arrived).  But, I know without a shadow of a doubt that Vertical Church is EXACTLY what I am supposed to be doing right now.  God has truly spoke to us in many different ways about it and there is a peace and joy deep inside about it.  There is no greater joy than knowing you are right in the middle of God's will and purpose for your life. 

I've learned through the many different seasons and chapters of life that have brought us to where we are today that a lot of times it takes God cultivating, preparing, teaching, and correcting us so we can be molded into exactly what He wants us to be.  I look back and see hard times I went through and while I didn't understand why at the time (and I may have even questioned why God would allow such things to happen to me), it was all part of Him shaping me.  We are the clay and He is the potter.  The shaping isn't always easy or painless, but it's so worth it.

God has awesome plans for all of our lives, but we have to be willing to allow the potter to do His work and as we allow him to shape us and mold us, we have to find out what that purpose is.  If you had told me even a year ago we would be at this place in our lives now, I more than likely would have told you that you were crazy, but as we allow God to shape us, He plants in us a deep desire and passion to do the things he has called us to do.
Everyone has been put here on Earth to fufill a purpose and I can tell you from my own life's experiences, when you find that purpose....there is no greater joy or contentment.  No, it won't always be easy, but knowing you're fufilling your God-given purpose brings great excitement and joy :)

Ephesians 2:10 - “We are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

Jeremiah 29:11-13 - "For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart."

This won't last forever!

Sometimes I find myself getting so frustrated inside when Brayden wakes up in the middle of the night.  As much as I LOVE my sweet, little  big boy, I get so impatient when it's 2 a.m. and he's up randomly (at 15 months old)...wondering why in the world he won't sleep?  Thinking, "wasn't this supposed to end at like 8 months old?"  I've never been one to function on little sleep, so I think for me one of the biggest adjustments in motherhood has been learning to go with the flow when it comes to sleep.  Obviously, this isn't every night but between colds, sickness, and teething I feel like it happens more often than not.  But, I woke up this morning and the thought hit me (like it has before) that these times won't last forever and to cherish them.  Sounds silly...cherish waking up in the middle of the night, seriously? Yes! These days won't last forever...before I know it he'll be 16 and won't be crying for "mama" in the middle of the night.  Motherhood has taught me so much and has really done a great job at perfecting some of the fruits of the spirits - especially patience :)

So, if you're a mom, and you're so frustrated when you see the clock at hours of the night that you'd rather not be seeing the clock (like me)...remember, cherish every moment of it - these days really DON'T last forever!

Month-By-Month: 15

It has been about a month since I've blogged...I've got to get a little better about remembering to keep things updated here! I thought this would be a perfect time to jump back into it since my little big boy is 15 MONTHS OLD! But, really? It feels so weird to even type that because I feel like just yesterday we got to hold him for the first time...the cute little 7 lb. 6 oz. burrito all wrapped up :)

But, for real, please slow down, Bray... :)

Here's what you're up to:

* You're about 26 pounds now (big boy!) and probably about 31-ish inches tall!

* You're super happy (always have been) and you keep your mama on her toes!!  I seriously cannot turn my back on you for more than 30 seconds or you're up to no good :)

* Your favorite foods are: eggs (scrambled or boiled), bananas, grapes, applesauce, any kind of yogurt, CHICKEN!, black beans, cheese, Veggie Stix, goldfish, waffles, and for the most part you'll eat any kind of veggie (except broccoli!)  You don't like really any meat except chicken :)

* You have such a silly little personality! Lots of people say you look a lot like your mama, but you sure do have a personality just like your daddy ;) (I wouldn't have it any other way though!)

* You drink about 18 ounces of milk per day and then lots of water! We've been without the bottle for about a month! (Yay, Bray!)

* You still take your paci when you go down for a nap or to bed - and you love your little lamb :)

Brayden, you have made your mommy and daddy happier than we could've ever imagined! You bring us so much joy!! We love you SO, SO much!