Thanksgiving 2017

Whew!  What a whirlwind this year has been so far.  A delightful, sweet, awesome, blessed and over the top joyful year.  When I look back to January 17th when we learned our friend was making a shop space available and we were invited to take it over I had no idea what saying yes meant....but....it was definitely the right thing to do!

It is so great to work with my mom and daughter.  We all have different gifts that come together so well in the shop.  I would be a mess without their constant cleaning and organizing.  They would go nowhere without my big picture..."Hey!  Let's do this thing!" and the shop would have very limited success without Chelsea's display giftings.  She just has a knack!

I'm Thankful!!

Here are some photos from the shop.

On the day we took possession.

You can see uncertainty....I think.

But excitement.

The last photo in this series shows us very recently.

The shop as it looked for our Grand Opening.

Random shots from the time we've been open.

 We are so super pleased for our friend, Annie, of LaneyBell Designs. 

Her business has exploded with large, large accounts.

You will begin to see her work in amazing places.

We are so thankful that she is not forgetting us in the process.

We have already had a turnover in our baby accessory artisans.

Only because of health issues.  Not due to any fault on either part.

But our former artisan was so kind and to suggest another and it was a super 

smooth transition.  We are thankful!!

Before the Strasburg Halloween Parade.

We are still standing and still smiling!

I think you see relief and a comfortability with where we are

today in this photo.

We now know that we CAN work together and that we enjoy it.

We have settled into our roles.

We have met AMAZING people...both artisans and customers.

We have found our space in the Strasburg business community 

and look forward to growing in that.

We have raised money for Breast Cancer Screenings in younger women

after learning of the need.

We have been pleased to offer a HUGE selection of Vintage Feed Sack fabrics.

Our feedsack ambassador.  Her Great Grandmother is our collector/consignor.

We have sold all but one of the Conk Mushroom Art pieces

that Allan was able to provide for us.

We have ALL grown, so much.

And we are THANKFUL!!

Stay tuned for a huge announcement...

if God wills it!

 Then to have the birth of our precious grandson on July 26th.  I've joined the sweetest and best club on the planet...the Grandma club.  Lately I've been holding him way more than taking photos but here are "a few" from me or stolen from Chelsea. 

Jonathan met Darcey this year.  They were set up by co-workers and are so sweet together.  It is so much fun to see him grow and have new experiences....such as driving 13 hours to her family's home for this Thanksgiving Day.  We will miss having them here but are excited for Darcey to spend time with the loved ones there.

Michael and Emily have made the smart decision to split up Holidays and alternate each year.  So this year they are spending Thanksgiving with her family and we will have them with us for Christmas.  They chose this year for those holidays because my brother and Bev also alternate and this falls in line with their schedule.  So, we will be a smaller gang tonight when we have our Thanksgiving dinner but Pastor Mike, Jenny and her mother will join us and it will be sweet.

My Mazda Minivan died recently.  It had a crazy amount of miles on it.  We found a Ford Escape of the same year, 2003, but with 100,000 less miles on the same engine.  I love it!  And it is red!!  Seems like lately we kept finding white vehicles between us and our moms.  So...I'm breaking the mold with my RED Escape.  Against my better judgement....here is a photo of me with it.



The candle business continues to thrive and keep me up late at night and awake early to make candles before heading to the shop.  It is something I'm mentally evaluating...as to the wisdom of working so hard all the time....but for now am committed to getting through this busy season.  It still brings joy and even today as I make 85 candles for Sweet Grace Ministries it has purpose.  Deep purpose.  I will not mind one little bit spending that time on something that helps even a little bit for people who will suffer loss in the months to come. 

I hope that you and yours will embrace the good and the bad you have experienced over this past year. We come to understand that everything works together to make us into the people we are.  If we are smart we lean hard into God when the bad things come and we reach out to Him in extreme gratitude when things are going well.   There is no other way to experience the full JOY of life and become all that HE has for us to be.  As most of you know we have been to the depths and we have stood on the highest mountain.  Both have been so important.....I happen to like the highs sooooo much better.  Won't lie.