My Brother!

My Three Brothers (Joshua, Caleb, Samuel)

We got some very special news to be thankful for this Thanksgiving! I knew something was up when my oldest brother called me asking if we could Facetime.  I had a feeling I knew what it was, but I let them spill the beans...my sis-in-law for all of 6 months is PREGNANT!!! I'm so excited! This is my first blood niece or neffew and I couldn't be happier for them! Now, this may not seem like something to blog about, so let me back up a little bit.

His Wife :)

3 Years ago on August 19, while I was visiting my family, we got a phone call that shook our world.  The message said Caleb has been in an accident.  The tough ex-marine-turned-sailor on the other end sounded as if he was crying.  We knew it was serious.  After finally getting in touch with someone to see what had happened (he was stationed with the Navy in Norfolk, VA at the time), we headed up that way.  At the time all we knew was that he had dove into a pool, and now couldn't feel his legs.  The surgical nurse at the hospital said if it was her kid, she'd go up there.  So we all loaded up the car at about 9 pm and made the long drive from SC to norfolk.  

We arrived there just as he was finishing up surgery.  When he had dove into the pool, he hit the top of his head and his chin was forced down to his chest.  the impact caused his C6 vertebra to break and a small piece press on his spinal chord.  He is now paralyzed from the waist down.  

He has some control of some of his abdominal muscles, and can move several toes on his right foot (these are things he's gained since the accident!)  He still has a good bit of feeling in his legs, and is gaining more all the time.  He's come such a long way since the accident! 

This past June he married such a wonderful girl.  She seriously fits right in with our family! We've all known her for quite some time, but just last year we were all reunited.  She is so helpful and amazing, and I'm so glad I now have a sister! (ok, to be fair I have to sis-in-laws on my hubby's side, but I'm not close to them--something I've been praying for to change!)  They sure got knocked-up fast, but it's all in God's timing! I'm so happy for them, and so glad that science has been able to make this happen for him!

As much as they get knocked all the time, our family would seriously be nowhere if it weren't for the VA hospital in Richmond VA.  I also have to say that the PVA (paralyzed veterans of America) has been a tremendous support as well! We were even able to meet Richard Petty at an event in Charlotte because of his involvement with the PVA.  For some southern kids that grew up watching races, it was a real honor!  Please do whatever you can to support these organizations, and your troops! 

Please keep my bubba and sissy in your prayers as they embark on this new chapter in their lives! They are building a house, now so that's adding to the stress!! God's really been laying on my heart to pray for Caleb's complete healing, so please be praying with me for that!  Thanks for sharing in my excitement!! 

- Celesa

Happy Thanksgiving!

Man, this year has seriously flown by! There's just so much for me to be thankful for this year. I'm so blessed! This is just the short list, but here are a few things I'm the most thankful for this year!

1) A loving, almighty, God. It never ceases to amaze me just how deep Gods love for us goes. I am, of course, thankful for my salvation, but I'm almost even more so thankful that God just wants a relationship with me. It is because he wants that relationship that he grants us eternal life and even helps with our day to day living here on earth. He is truly amazing!!

2) Life. I'm so thankful for not only being alive, but having a life that is blessed. I'm so thankfull for all the people in my life. As I'm writing this, I'm even more thankful for my aunt, I'm so blessed to have her and tha k God for protecting her through her shooting.

3) My Family. I'm so blessed to have everyone from my husband and parents and extended family, to my precious daughter. I'm so happy to be the mom to such a wonderful girl! I'm also blessed that my family got a little larger this year! My brother married a wonderful girl that we've been friends with for years! I'm so fortunate to have my new sissy! This year I've Rowan closer to my inlaws and my family in my heart has expanded. Seriously, seriously thankful for family!

4) My church! I'm so thankful that God lead us from a mediocre church to a church of excellence. I'm honestly not sure if it's just because we are where God wants us, or the quality of the church, but the holy spirit just seems to dwell in the church we attend now, and it is so precious to me to be able to experienc that every time the doors open!

There's so, so much more for me to be thankful for this year, but these are the things that have affected my life the most this year.

I pray that your life be equally as blessed! Take the time to be thankfull today!

Celesa

My Latest Obsessions

I've got a problem.  To me it's a really, really big problem.  Ya see, I feel bad for thanksgiving.  I mean, it's always getting put second to Christmas.  Especially this year, stores are opening so early that people are just focused on their Christmas shopping.  But that's really not my problem. My problem is the guilt I feel for joining in.  I just can't fight it anymore! The draw of Christmas is just too hard to resist! It's time to indulge my latest obsessions!

I'm seriously obsessed with all the awesome things I can make to decorate my house for Christmas! I have a little problem, though! I don't have enough surfaces to put everything on! Even after the remodel is finished, I'm not sure we will have enough places for all the things I want to make! I've got a lot of planning to do!!

One of the things I'm most obsessed with are cones! There's paper mache cones, wooden cones, Styrofoam cones, paper covered cones, tinsel covered cones, fabric covered cones, cones made to look like trees, and cones made to look like santa, there's just so many things you can do with a cone! {woah! Sorry, I was channeling Bubba from Forrest Gump there for a second!} Seriously, though there are SO many things one can do! Here's just a few of my favorites!

I love these from How to Nest for Less

These are Way Fab from Thrifty Decor Chick!

Another thing are wreaths! Little else can make the outside of your house more inviting than a wreath! There's so many cute ones! I can't decide which I want to make! I'm leaning toward trying to make one with a nativity scene in the middle.  But these here are just so dang cute! Hmmm, maybe I could just have a few and change them out each week...Maybe?

This one is BEAUTIFUL! From Whipperberry

How amazing is this one from Miss Fancy Pants?

Another new tradition I'm definitely starting this year is an advent calendar! I've just got to come up with the perfect one to make! I really love the idea of counting down the days with some education for my sweet daughter! Here are a few tutorials I've seen for them, but none I've fallen head over heals in love with, yet.

Well, I may have fallen in love with this one made with the
FABULOUS Silhouette CAMEO that I want so badly! by: Amy Totty 

We just might end up with this one from makoodle.com

Well, I hope you've been a little inspired today! I'm totally having a fit wanting to get to the store for supplies to make some of this fabulousness!